Sesshoumaru's Secret Life
by lyiint
Summary: Sesshoumaru has kept a secret his whole life. When Inuyasha and group find out that secret that shaped the personality of the Lord of the Western Lands will Sesshoumaru finally be able to live a normal life.
1. The Secret

Hello, I'm back again with an all new story. Thank you everyone who have read and reviewed my other stories and I hope you will enjoy this one just as well. I look forward to hearing from you.

This was a little "what if" so I hope no one gets too upset with what I have done with Sesshoumaru. Please enjoy! Oh and I do not own anything or have any influence with the series or manga of Inuyasha (if only, if only)

Chapter 1: The Secret

It had started when the inu child had been born, the secret; that secret that would mold the tiny infant into the unfeeling, arrogant and sometimes cruel lord assassin of the western lands.

The mother looked at the small bundle in despair, a_ girl, no._ She had been trying for years to give her mate, the Inu no Tashio a child. When she had finally become pregnant she had suffered through five miscarriages, all boys. Now the only pregnancy to come to term, the last she would ever be able to carry, was this worthless infant, a girl - one that would be unable to lead the western lands because of her sex. The woman was frantic, what if her mate found out. Perhaps he would go to another to give him the son he needed and hoped for, abandoning her. The female inu demoness decided then and there that this was not going to happen. This child, her child would be the future lord her mate desired.

"This child is a boy," she stated firmly.

"My lady?" the midwife questioned, thinking the temperamental demoness had gone crazy.

The white haired woman stared daggers at the midwife. "If you value your life and the lives of everyone you hold dear, you will tell the Tashio he has a son, do I make myself understood."

"Hai, my lady," the woman quaked. She wrapped the bundle and took it to show her master his only child that would come from this union.

The inu lord was waiting outside the door of his mate's chambers when the quivering woman appeared. He looked down on the downy white hair of the infant, noticing the marks of royalty adorning the child's face. A crescent moon on its brow and twin magenta stripes on each cheek. Honey golden eyes looked up into his deeper yellow ones.

"Y-your s-s-son, my lord," the midwife stuttered fearfully, bowing respectfully as she held out the infant hoping the lord would not ask her to totally remove the blanket the child was swaddled in.

The great dog demon put a finger out and gently caressed the soft cheek, smiling down at his new son. "Sesshoumaru, this child's name is Sesshoumaru, be sure his mother is told." He tickled the child under the chin making Sesshoumaru giggle and then left. The midwife almost collapsed in relief. "Poor child," she cooed. "I fear you are in for a hard life." She carried the tiny bundle back into her lady's chambers to be fed.

The next day the midwife and all her family were gone. All in the village thought it odd that the whole clan would pick up and leave so quickly. In fact they had not, but the bodies would never be found. The lady Tashio made sure of that, this was one secret she was going to be sure that would be kept.

"What are you, Sesshoumaru?" the tall lady asked the three year old with a note of disgust in her voice. In reality the child had been on this earth for thirty years, but demons having a longer life span aged at a much slower rate than humans. Approximately one year for every ten human ones.

"A boy, I'm a boy mother," the small tot gave the usual answer, keeping her eyes glued to the ground.

"And what do boys not do?"

The small child began to sniff, "They don't play with dolls."

The demoness held out her clawed hand and the little demon girl passed her the ragged doll she had found in the castle refuse pile. The mother glared down on the quietly sniffing inu a look of anger crossing her face. "Stop that this instant," she yelled raising her hand over the child.

Sesshoumaru tried her best but a tear leaked out of her eye, immediately she was slapped hard across the head causing her to fall to her knees, her ears ringing.

"What else do boys not do?" the demoness demanded feeling absolutely no pity.

Sesshoumaru took a deep breath and swallowed, holding back other tears that wanted to flow and sat back on her haunches to look into the cruel eyes of her mother. "They don't cry."

"Good boy," the mother cooed. "Never show weakness, Sesshoumaru, remember that."

"Hai, mother," the child responded bowing her head.

The lady Tashio turned and left leaving Sesshoumaru to stare after her, anger rising up in the small chest. _I'm not a boy,_ she thought but would not voice. Even though the future demon lord was only three she was quite bright and had known for some time that she was not male.

She remembered seeing some boys swimming naked and she knew she did not have what they did. Her curiosity had gotten the better of her and she had gone to the older boys and asked them what it was that was between their legs, wondering why she didn't have one as well. They had laughed at her and told her what the organ was.

"Only boys have this, it's our manhood. Shows we're better than stupid girls," one of them had told her. They had tried to get her to come and swim with them thinking that she also was a boy as well but she refused. Mother always said that you never bathe with anyone else.

"Your body is dirty, Sesshoumaru. Others would be disgusted at the sight of it, always bathe alone." That is what mother had said.

The small girl came to understand that what everyone had been telling her was a lie. She was not a boy. Spying on the women and young slave girls of the castle had confirmed it for her. She had what they had, she was a girl. Sesshoumaru could not fathom why her mother and everyone wanted her to behave as a boy. She hated playing with swords and wearing boy's clothes. She longed to wear the pretty kimono's the other ladies wore and do the things the other girls she saw did.

When Sesshoumaru was four her mother caught her dressing up in one of her kimono's and had beaten her almost senseless. Since that time the demon child wore the hakamas, yukatas, haoris and other items typical of the male wardrobe but she made sure to pick out the prettiest ones she could get away with wearing without instigating her mother's wrath. Most of her clothing had sakura blossoms somewhere in the design, her most favourite flower.

Sesshoumaru was glad their castle had such nice gardens. She would spend as much of her time as possible out there alone, away from mother. She loved all the flowers and would hide under trees and bushes happily making chains of them to put in her long white hair. She normally got in some kind of trouble because of it, returning with dirty knees and hands from crawling out from her hiding places. Father would laugh and say things like "that's boys for you" or "boys will be boys" and then ruff up her hair which only made her angry. She hated her hair to be messy.

Sesshoumaru was six when formal education started for her. As well as the normal scholastic subjects she was required to learn about the affairs of state, what was expected of a lord, the history of their clan and the geology and history of the lands her father owned and protected. She was also expected to learn marital arts and to use a sword. Strategy in battle was another skill she was required to master, the lord and lady of the castle wanting to mold the child into an effective future general and politician.

She absolutely hated it. She found it utterly boring and since she didn't want to hurt anybody, couldn't for the life of her understand why she had to learn to wield a sword. She did enjoy math, art and reading, those things appealed to her quick mind and artful imagination.

When she was seven, her tutors and senseis complained to the lady Tashio about Sesshoumaru's lack of interest and application in certain areas of his studies. The lady grew grave and went to find her 'son'.

"Sesshoumaru," the lady stated in her harsh voice when she found the child sitting on the porch reading.

The child jumped in surprise, so engrossed in the story she had been reading that she didn't notice her mother's approach. "Hai, mother," she said bowing, tucking the romance novel into the sleeve of her haori.

"What are you?" she asked.

Sesshoumaru frowned, anger coming forward at being asked that stupid question yet again and before she could think better of it said, "A girl, I'm a girl."

The reaction was quick and brutal. She felt burning claws slash across her cheek and then she was picked up and carried into the castle and down to the lower depths of the dungeon. It felt like her mother was almost flying she was moving so fast. The air gasped out of her as she hit the stone wall her furious mother threw her into. She felt a sharp pain in her arm as she heard a loud snap and then she was lying in a heap on the cold floor. Her mother was beside her in an instant grabbing her hair and pulling her head up so Sesshoumaru's round frightened eyes were looking into the hate-filled bronze eyes of her mother.

The enraged demoness was going to continue to beat the child but thought of a better idea. "Sesshoumaru, do you know why everyone must think you're a boy?" she asked coyly, removing her tight grip on the child's pale locks.

Sesshoumaru shook her head holding her broken arm trying not to cry, blood dripping from the wounds on her cheek.

"Because your father would not love you if you were a girl. He only wants a boy. So it is for your protection that he must think this. If he were to find out the truth, he would kill you."

Sesshoumaru's eyes went large in shock. She loved and adored her father even if he did mess up her hair. He was always so kind to her and would play with her whenever he had some free time, which wasn't often enough in Sesshoumaru's mind. They always played boy games but the inu pup didn't mind as long as she was with her father, she would do anything. She began to whimper.

"Yes, he wants a boy to take his place as lord someday. Girls cannot do that so you would be useless to him. He only pays attention to you now because he does not know your filthy secret. Do you wish to disappoint him, Sesshoumaru? Make him a laughing stock because he has a worthless daughter instead of the son he deserves? Is that what you want?" her mother demanded, shaking the child.

"No, mother, no. I want father to love me, I want him to be proud of me," the little girl sobbed.

"Stop crying," her mother screamed.

Sesshoumaru tucked all her hurt and confusion down inside of her and calmed herself. Soon she was looking at her mother with uncaring, unfeeling eyes.

"That's better," the mother smiled. "Now, what are you, Sesshoumaru?"

"A boy, I'm a boy," the child answered listlessly.

"You would do well to remember that. Being a boy will make your father proud, it is the only way. Do not fail him, Sesshoumaru. Nothing short of perfection will do."

"Yes mother."

The lady turned and left the child sitting on the floor holding her healing arm. It hurt as the bone knit back together and her cheek was burning from her mother's poison, not allowing the wound to heal quickly. But what hurt most was the thought that she might garner her father's disapproval. _I will try hard, father to be a good boy. I will make you proud of me, _she vowed, not allowing her tears to fall.


	2. First Crush

Chapter 2: First Crush

The years passed and Sesshoumaru did as she had vowed, putting her energies into learning everything that would be required to become the best lord she could be to impress her father.

The Inu no Tashio secretly worried for his son. The boy seemed far more serious than he should be at his age, never showing the happiness that used to bubble forth when the lord was with him. He tried to joke and coax out the sunny smiles that used to play over the boys features without luck. He began to withdraw from his son thinking that maybe Sesshoumaru thought himself too old to play the silly games they had in the past._ They grow too fast,_ the dog lord thought, sighing as he watched his slender son practice his martial art forms unsure of how to bridge the gap that was forming between them.

The lord was called away more and more on the business of taking care of his rather large territory and soon Sesshoumaru barely saw her father and when she did he gave her a quick nod and then went off to do other things. The little girl began to withdraw more and more into herself at the lack of nurturing, always feeling that in some way she had fallen short of her vow and had displeased her father. _I must be better, I must work harder._ Sesshoumaru threw herself into trying to achieve perfection at everything, becoming absolutely compulsive in her desire to get it right.

Her mother continued to teach her how a boy, and more importantly a prince, should act and the child took everything to heart. Her mother was pleased in her 'son' and would praise Sesshoumaru at her lack of emotion, at her skill with weaponry and the martial arts. The girl had become ambivalent about her mother, she was just a means to an end to learn to do it right. All she wanted was the love and respect from her father.

Sesshoumaru hit a snag in her efforts to be the perfect son at the age of eleven. She fell in love.

The Inu no Tashio had a meeting at his castle with all the minor lords under him to discuss the threat from the north and what they were going to do about it. Since these men were going to be staying at the Tashio estate for at least a couple of weeks some brought their son's with them to observe and learn.

Another of the inu clan had come to the proceedings, in fact a cousin to Inu no Tashio himself, bringing with him his eldest son, Anoki. Sesshoumaru was instantly smitten.

The fourteen year old was stunning in her eyes, long grey hair the color of a storm cloud, golden skin tanned from his many days outside surveying their lands with his father, and the most beautiful teal green eyes Sesshoumaru had ever seen. His features were sharp and refined, lacking the baby fat that still plagued Sesshoumaru, with the musculature of a man beginning to show on his physique.

Being the Tashio's only heir Sesshoumaru was expected to take part and learn about the proceedings as well so she was introduced to the boy of her dreams.

"Sesshoumaru," her father called for her to come and meet her cousin.

"Hai, father," she replied bowing

"This is your cousin, Anoki. I wish you to show him around and to aid him should he require anything." The dog lord was hoping that the two boys would become friends. He felt his son seemed to be alone far too often and worried for the boys abilities to cope with others. He hoped that some companionship from a peer would perk the young inu up.

Sesshoumaru bowed and looked up into the aloof face of her cousin and blushed. Anoki watched the younger boy's face turn crimson and smirked at what he perceived as the boy's shyness._ Might be fun around here after all,_ he thought as he began to make plans to torment his cousin.

Sesshoumaru took Anoki around the castle showing him where he would be sleeping, where the bath was and where the meetings would be taking place, finally ending up in the gardens. Anoki walked around as if everything he saw was not good enough for his eyes and it began to irritate the white haired girl even though she was impressed with his arrogant attitude. She was going to say something to the proud boy when he stopped and faced her, looking directly into her eyes. "You look like a girl," Anoki stated in his flat way.

Sesshoumaru's breath hitched in her throat, had she been found out? She dropped her eyes from his intense stare and heard him chuckle. That noise, that teasing laugh made Sesshoumaru angry, she was not going to allow this boy to ruin everything she had been working so hard at.

"I'm not a girl," she said forcefully, bringing her golden eyes back to his green ones and challenging him with a stare. She almost believed herself.

Anoki smirked, "You're pretty like one."

Sesshoumaru frowned, she wasn't pretty, she was ugly. Her mother told her this often, how ugly she was, how she didn't look enough like a boy. Her mother was at her constantly to develop more muscle, boys had muscles; look at her cousin, and she worked hard in the doujou trying to attain a more masculine physique. She curled her fist and struck her cousin.

The older inu boy was surprised. He had to hand it the fair skinned boy, he was quick and strong. Anoki put his hand to his jaw, smirking again to hide how impressed he was at the fact that he had not seen the punch coming and that Sesshoumaru had gotten a shot in, normally others couldn't touch him. "So you challenge me, Sesshoumaru?" he asked still with that aggravating smirk plastered to his face.

"Hai and I'll beat you too," she affirmed.

"Well you can try," the older boy responded. "Lead on to the doujou then."

The two cousins entered the training room and Anoki took off his haori and shatsu leaving Sesshoumaru to try and hide the interested stares she was casting towards him. "Well, aren't you going to take off your clothes? I thought you wanted to beat me?"

Sesshoumaru blushed; she didn't want to bare her chest even though she really hadn't developed one. She really didn't look much different than her cousin but the self-loathing her mother had instilled in her about her body made her feel self conscious. She had never disrobed in front of anyone before.

"Jeeze, now you're acting like a girl," Anoki teased, rolling his eyes.

This caused Sesshoumaru to grit her teeth and she pulled her tops off staring at her cousin, defying him to tease her again.

Anoki stood staring, the younger boy showed some developing muscle definition and his skin was so pale. Anoki noticed the twin stripes that were peeking out from the waistband of Sesshoumaru's hakama pants and wondered where else his cousin had stripes. Anoki had the urge to touch that pale skin, it looked so soft.

"So what are you just standing there for?" questioned Sesshoumaru angrily, breaking into the older boys curious thoughts.

Anoki took a fighting stance and then lunged at Sesshoumaru with his claws, bringing them around in a sweeping arc.

Sesshoumaru countered by leaping into the air, twisting, so she could deliver a kick. She missed as the older boy slid sideways and she landed gracefully on her feet.

Anoki again came at her trying to deliver a flurry of judo chops which she blocked, taking a step back from the force of the boy's blows.

She lunged forward, her own claws extended and Anoki took a step back and to the right to avoid the attack. The grey haired boy was quite impressed with his younger cousin._ He's really good. I haven't been able to touch him. Let's see how he handles this._

Anoki called up the power that was inside all inu's and his yellow whip came from his extended fingers. He flew up into the air and lashed out.

Sesshoumaru put her arm up in defence, getting a slash across her forearm. She leapt back to get out of range, a look of surprise and awe on her face. _How did he do that?_ She winced at the painful sensation on her arm and took a quick look at the damage. A thin line of blood was dripping out of the cleanly sliced wound.

Anoki, noticing the look of complete awe on his younger cousin's face, grinned proudly. "Neat, eh? Hasn't anyone showed you how to call up your whip?"

"No," she answered keeping herself in a defensive posture in case the older boy decided to attack again. She hadn't even realized she could let her poison out that far. Her senseis had taught her how to call up a poison claw attack but nothing like what Anoki had just done.

"Guess you are kind of young yet for that," he mocked in a superior tone.

"I can do anything you can, show me," she growled out. She had to know how he had done that attack. If she could master it, this might make her father proud.

"You at least know how to do a poison claw attack, right?" "Anoki asked mockingly.

"Of course," she replied disdainfully calling out her green venom to drip off of her claws.

"Okay," said the older boy coming closer. He stood behind her and took her hand. "Put your two fingers together like this," he instructed, pinching her first and second fingers together as he folded the others into her palm. "Now extend your hand out and concentrate on only letting your poison flow from those two fingers and push them out into a whip."

Sesshoumaru gritted her teeth in concentration, she was able to get her venom to flow just to those two fingers but she couldn't seem to force it out into a stream. "You're not telling me right," she complained feeling a little distracted by the boy's presence so close to her.

"Here let me help you," Anoki sighed as if teaching his younger cousin was the biggest chore in the world. In fact Anoki was rather enjoying being this close to the soft, warm, bare skin of his younger kin.

The older boy knew about sex, in fact his father had made sure the boy had been instructed in the art of love making from some of the village whores. Anoki had only ever been with women but he was getting that pleasant tingle in his stomach from being so close to his pretty boy cousin and he was curious if a boy's skin would feel as nice as a girls.

Anoki held Sesshoumaru's hand in his, pulling the smaller body back against his chest. "See, put your hand out," he breathed gently into the elfin ear. "Get your poison to go into your fingers, like me see?" He let his yellow miasma glow at the tips, smiling his approval when Sesshoumaru did the same.

He hugged his arm around the waist of the white haired boy pulling him in even closer._ His skin is so soft, so warm and he smells good too. _"Okay now we're going to throw out our power. I'll push mine out so you can feel how it's done." He let some of this venom pulse out close to Sesshoumaru's fingers and she concentrated trying to mimic the feeling and did the same.

"Good, that's good Sesshoumaru," Anoki whispered. He then flicked his wrist, snapping both their hands out. Two whips, one green, one yellow slashed out and struck the wall of the doujou leaving twin gashes into the wood.

"I…I did it," Sesshoumaru gasped happily, stepping away from her cousin who reluctantly let her go. She concentrated and tried again on her own, again her whip flew out, not quite as far as when Anoki helped her but it was a start. She would practice hard and get better.

"Thanks Anoki," she blushed forgetting that she had been angry with him not that long ago.

"Feh, no big deal," he returned, going over and retrieving his clothing. "Maybe we can come back tomorrow and practice some more."

"I'd like that," Sesshoumaru replied also donning her shirt and kimono top.

They left the doujou together to head back to their fathers.

The next evening, when the meetings were over, Sesshoumaru and Anoki again met in the doujou. They practiced with their whips. Anoki was surprised at how quickly the younger boy caught on._ Man, it took me weeks to learn to use my whip; he's come so far in one day._

Sesshoumaru was still having problems with accuracy but near the end of the hour that they practiced she began to be able to hit the target more often.

"So, do you want to practice some fighting moves?" Anoki asked, his heart beating a little fast at the thought of being able to see his cousin's bare skin again.

"Might as well," returned Sesshoumaru. It was nice having someone near her own age and skill level to spar with. Anoki removed his top as he had done before, Sesshoumaru following suit only a little embarrassed this time. The two went though different moves both having a good time trying to outdo the other.

Sesshoumaru's father passed by and gave a satisfied grin watching momentarily as the two boys attacked and blocked. He was glad to see a smile on his son's face for a change._ I had hoped that Anoki would be good for Sesshoumaru, I wonder if I can get my cousin to allow the boy to stay on for awhile longer after the meetings._ One of the servants approached and told the taiyoukai that he was needed, with a last look he turned and left.

"You're really good, Sesshoumaru. I can tell you've been practicing hard," Anoki complimented. He gave the younger a smirk, "But you better get ready, here I come." The two friends clashed with each other again but instead of leaping away from Sesshoumaru as the grey haired boy had been doing, he pushed though the smaller inu's attack. He wrapped his arms around the smaller frame and knocked him over, pinning him to the ground.

Sesshoumaru struggled under the weight of her heavier cousin, but the boy was stronger and he grabbed her arms, holding them above her head.

"I thought we were doing judo, not sumo," Sesshoumaru pouted, trying to twist from his grip.

Anoki watched those small lips form a pout and he licked his lips. _I wonder…I wonder what it would be like to kiss him._

"Wha…what are you doing?" Sesshoumaru questioned, looking into green eyes that were studying her in a strange way. It made her stomach feel funny looking at him. Her breath caught in her throat as the older boy leaned in closer, still looking her right in the eyes.

Anoki leaned down, watching to see what Sesshoumaru would do. When his younger cousin didn't complain he slowly touched his lips to the other boys. _Nice,_ he thought._ He tastes like…cinnamon. _Anoki leaned back, still looking at Sesshoumaru's large, surprised, golden eyes.

Sesshoumaru felt a tingling shock go through her at the touch of the boy's lips to hers. It felt nice, really nice and she stopped thinking about trying to get loose. She looked up at him when he pulled away, her eyes wide in pleasant surprise from her first kiss. Not sure what she should do or how to react, she waited for her cousin to make the next move.

Anoki let go of Sesshoumaru's arms and sat back. He tentatively reached forward and gently grazed his fingers over the stripes on the pale cheeks, curious to find out if they felt any different from the rest of the boy's skin. His eyes opened in amazement when he saw their color darken.

Sesshoumaru jerked her head at the touch. It had felt very good and she sucked in a gasp.

"Does it hurt?" Anoki asked softly wondering how sensitive those marks were.

"No," Sesshoumaru breathed.

"Do you like it…when I touch you?" Anoki hoped his cousin would say yes, he wanted very badly to touch him again.

Sesshoumaru blushed and nodded affirmatively.

Anoki leaned down and kissed Sesshoumaru again, this time with a little more confidence, his heart beating faster as he felt the younger boy return his kiss. He let his hands trail over his cousin's shoulders and chest. _Kami, his skin is so soft. _Anoki sat back again. "You can touch me too, if you want," he told Sesshoumaru whose head was swimming delightfully, her skin prickling and goose bumping where she was being caressed.

Sesshoumaru reached out curiously to touch her cousin's chest and stomach. She gave a small grin when she heard him gasp and felt the older boy's muscles twitch under the soft, experimental contact of her fingers.

Anoki slid down his cousin's body so he was lying on top of the smaller form. He just couldn't get enough of the beautiful boy beneath him. _This is better than those women my dad got for me,_ he thought with wonder _And we're not even fully naked._

Sesshoumaru moved her hands to her cousins back stroking the skin inquisitively, enjoying the warmth of the body pressed against her and the feel of his claws running through her hair.

"Your hair is so pretty, I wish mine was like yours," Anoki sighed. He leaned in for another kiss, Sesshoumaru raising her head to meet him this time. Their third kiss was longer, more insistent but still chaste and sweet.

Suddenly Anoki was thrown off of Sesshoumaru and hurled through the air, landing almost all the way across the doujou. He came down hard, his breath whooshing out of him. He heard a loud smacking sound and knew that his cousin had been struck. Before he had a chance to draw air back into his lungs properly he was grabbed roughly and hauled to his feet by Sesshoumaru's mother, she was holding the stunned eleven year old in her other hand.

_Shit! We're in for it now. _Anoki didn't know much about the lady Tashio but she sure looked pissed. He started to open his mouth to explain but the ferocious look he received made him clamp his jaws shut. Fear began to course though him as she started to drag the two of them out the door.

She continued down the hall throwing both cousins to the floor in front of the men that were in the Tashio's study. The older men had gone in to relax, talk and drink. Sesshoumaru had the presence of mind to stay down on her knees, keeping her eyes fixed securely to the floor. Anoki tried to stand and he was immediately shoved back down by the woman, a menacing growl erupting from her throat.

"What is the meaning of this?" Inu no Tashio questioned his mate. He had never seen his sweet and gentle wife so angry before. Anoki's father, Hisoka stood from his chair, a look of confusion on his face.

"I found your son and his cousin lying on the floor of the doujou kissing and fondling each other," she informed her mate and the group of men. Her angry disclosure was met with a moment of stunned silence.

"Sesshoumaru!" the dog lord exclaimed. Sesshoumaru cringed at the embarrassment and disappointment she could plainly hear in her father's voice.

Hisoka stood before his son. "Anoki, what have you done?" he asked in disgust. When the fourteen year old didn't answer his father growled dangerously. "Answer me," he demanded, pulling the boys head up to meet his gaze.

"I…we…I just wanted to…"

"It was my fault," Sesshoumaru interrupted. "I wanted him to do it, I made him." She did not want to see her only friend and love get into trouble over her. She knew from the deadly aura emanating from her mother that she was in for a very painful punishment; she did not want Anoki punished like that as well.

"Sesshoumaru, why would you want to do that with another boy?" The Inu no Tashio was shocked, he had no idea his son was that way. He began to deny the possibility of it. _Maybe this is just a phase, he was probably just curious. I thought him too young yet for this but perhaps I've been wrong. I should get him a female to take care of these needs._

"I'm sorry cousin," Hisoka apologized. "I'm sure that Anoki is not innocent in this, he is the elder and should have known better. Please, accept my humblest apologies for my offensive son. His punishment is in your hands."

Anoki swallowed hard, he followed Sesshoumaru's example and kept his head down and his shoulders bowed in submission.

"I think it best if Anoki was sent back to his home," stated the lady. "Do not trouble yourself with Sesshoumaru, my mate. I will punish the boy and make sure he does not embarrass you in such a way again. There is no need of you to waste your valuable time with this."

The dog lord was angry with his son. He would have preferred to talk to the boy in private but since all this had come out in front of the whole company that would not be an option. Punishment was expected in such a situation. "As you say, mate, handle it as you see fit. I wash my hands of this."

Sesshoumaru was close to tears, she had embarrassed her father and now he wanted nothing to do with her. She cringed at the tone of disgust in her father's voice and then listlessly allowed her mother to pull her out of the study and down into the dungeon.

Her mother slammed the door of the cell shut behind them as she flung the eleven year old against the stone wall. "Whore, harlot, slut!" she screamed, grabbing the child and punctuating each curse with a fist to Sesshoumaru's face. "Do you want to bring your father to ruin, is that your wish?

"No," the dazed child mumbled past her split lip.

"No one is going to love a useless, filthy creature such as you. There is no room for it in your life, it is a weakness and this is what it gets you." Her mother attacked her brutally, using her poison claws, her fists, her boots and anything else she could use to inflict pain upon her small daughter. Sesshoumaru curled into a ball on the floor trying to protect herself as best as possible from the harsh blows.

"You are disgusting. Never let anyone touch you again, do you hear me," the lady screeched, the spittle flying from her mouth. "What do you think would happen if anyone found out you were a girl. Your father would lose his lands, his status and it would be your fault. You are such a useless, filthy whore, spreading your legs for anyone. Your father should disown you, perhaps his next child will be a boy and we can get rid of you; you are nothing better than a common village prostitute. I think I will tell your father the truth, he will be sure to sell you into a brothel. Then you can have all the cock in your cunt that you want. Would you like that, Sesshoumaru? Would you?"

Sesshoumaru didn't understand half of what her mother was saying to her but she understood the fury and hate. She didn't know what a brothel was but the way her mother spoke of it made her sure she didn't want her father to sell her into one. "No mother, I'll be good, I won't let anyone touch me ever again, I promise," she wailed in panic, trying to see though her swelling eyes.

"I don't believe you. I think you need to more punishment to get it though your stupid skull." The lady continued to beat Sesshoumaru until the bruised and battered child fell unconscious. Then, and only then did she turn her back on her daughter and leave, closing and locking the door behind her.


	3. Developing Problems

Chapter 3: Developing Problems

Sesshoumaru had to endure a few more beatings during her time with her mother but none ever as bad as that one. She had remained locked in that cell for a week while she healed. Her demon ability to do so slowed by her mother's poison. No one came during that week, no food or water was brought to her and she held herself silently and numbly most of the time staring at the rock wall in front of her. She promised herself then and there that she would never care for another. Her mother was right, it was a weakness, one that could be used against her and she would never allow it again. Finally her mother had returned and brought her out. "Have you learned your lesson, Sesshoumaru?" she had asked the weakened child.

"Hai, mother. This Sesshoumaru will not show such a weakness again," she had replied as she shakily made her way to her rooms, following behind her mother.

"Good boy, Sesshoumaru."

The entire incident was never spoken of again by either her mother or her father, and she never saw Anoki again.

By the time Sesshoumaru was thirteen she had begun to develop which infuriated her mother. The demoness would bind the young girl's chest tightly, which caused a constant dull ache in the inu's small developing breasts. Her mother also gave Sesshoumaru a mixture of plants and herbs to aid in developing more muscles and a deeper voice. Sesshoumaru hated the foul mixture that her mother forced down her throat almost daily and she ignored the almost constant throbbing in her chest, becoming very adept at blocking out pain.

This served her well in her mock battles with her senseis, able to continue to fight much longer than the other boys in her classes despite the wounds she would receive and they were impressed at the young master's control and skill.

Her mother gave her battle armour which effectively hid the feminine physique further. It came up high on her chest splitting into four pieces at the waist to cover her hips, groin and rear. Sesshoumaru kept it tied to her waist with a beautiful yellow and blue obi. It was adorned with a heavy metal brazier with a spiked shoulder guard that was tied on with red tassels, giving the girl the allusion of wider shoulders. She balanced the look by folding her long boa that her father had given her for her birthday over the opposite shoulder. The boa was a family heirloom on her father's side of the family and had been passed down from son to son for many years. It was Sesshoumaru's favourite gift of the many she had received from her father and she was never seen without it. The armour was the only gift her mother had ever given her.

Her handling of her poison whip was extraordinary. She would practice long into the night almost every evening until it flowed and danced to her every whim. She had developed her own spinning technique with it that was deadly, able to take out multiple threats in an instant.

Her father had been watching and was impressed with his teen son's abilities and decided to take the boy out more and more during inspections of his lands. He also hoped that this would give them time to reacquaint themselves with each other and perhaps bridge the widening gap between them. Another thing that the taiyoukai hoped to impart to his quiet, morose son was how to be responsible with his power. He could see his son even outdoing him some day watching as the young youkai's power grew in leaps and bounds, easily defeating demons twice his size and strength that threatened their lands. His only worry was that nothing seemed to phase the boy. He did everything with an unremorseful, uncaring attitude. He worried that his son was turning into nothing more than a perfect killing machine and that he did not want.

"What good is such power without conscious," he had told the inu demon one day. "Always be honourable in what you do, Sesshoumaru. To act without honour is a disgrace to what you are, a disgrace to me."

"I will remember, father," she had replied seriously.

At fifteen Sesshoumaru had her first heat. She was frightened by the feelings that were coursing through her, not understanding what was happening to her. She ached in places that her mother told her were dirty and unclean. She wanted to touch herself to stop the burning, needy throbbing but was afraid of what her mother would do if she were to find out.

Her mother locked her in the dungeons again during this time. "You're such a weak girl, you should have been one of the babies to die, not my real sons," her mother scoffed at her. "Disgusting child, be sure to always lock yourself away during these times lest others smell your stink. Do you understand now the weakness within you? You are such a disappointment to me and your father."

Sesshoumaru nodded apathetically. She was not going to let this rule her body. She would control it as she controlled everything else that she could so she wouldn't feel the need for whatever it was her body craved. It was a weakness so she would rid herself of it. Always afterwards when these times came she would hide herself away and meditate, denying everything that she was and taking in no food or drink until she had again gained control of her body.

Not long after, when she was just about to turn sixteen, two things happened that turned out to be both good and bad. Good in the respect that her mother died. She had been in a battle and had been killed. Sesshoumaru felt nothing at her passing and never thought of her again. Her father was heartbroken, he had loved the inu demoness and never knew of the cruelty within her, and even his great sword the Tenseiga could not or would not bring her back. Which was fine as far as Sesshoumaru was concerned.

The bad thing was that her father began to take comfort in the arms of a young human female he had met in his dealings with the human lords surrounding his territory. Mother had always said that humans were vermin, beneath the contempt of all youkai, nothing more than weak, pathetic animals. Sesshoumaru could not understand her father's infatuation with them and avoided them whenever she could. She hoped that this thing he had with the human wench was just a passing fancy, a way to warm his empty bed, surely he was not serious about her.

In this Sesshoumaru was to be disappointed. Not only was he serious but he managed to impregnate the creature much to Sesshoumaru's chagrin. She had thought about killing the wench and the unborn abomination she carried but did not know how to accomplish it without her father finding out. The future lord was sure the human female used some kind of trickery or magic to bond her great father to her, why else would he seem so loving towards her.

Inu no Tashio would brook no disrespect towards the human woman and father and 'son' would argue, the great dog demon becoming angry at the arrogance and insolence of his son. Sesshoumaru becoming disillusioned and bitter towards her father and a wound formed between them that would never be healed.

Sesshoumaru was angered as she stood by the sea waiting for her father.

He had gone to fight Ryukotsusei and had forbidden his son to accompany him."It's too dangerous, Sesshoumaru. You are not ready for such a battle no matter how much you think you are. You are still too young, just barely sixteen."_ I cannot take the chance of losing you, my beloved son,_ he thought.

Sesshoumaru had been indignant. "What does my age matter, have I not proven myself to you father? I can do this."

"Sesshoumaru, obey me," her father had growled out at her and she had. She had stayed behind to await her fathers return with feelings of anger and hurt flowing though her._ How could he not trust in my abilities? I have done everything to be strong, to be a man and still I have fallen short somehow._

He had returned, grievously wounded, only to do battle again with the humans to save his wretched woman and the hanyou. Sesshoumaru had found it ironic that her father died at the hands of the humans and not the dragon, burned in a fire that should have consumed the hated female and her offspring.

_And what was that crap about having someone to protect? This Sesshoumaru needs no one,_ she thought disdainfully. Another thought crept into her mind unbidden, _there is no one that needs this Sesshoumaru._ That idea bothered her more than she wanted it to so she swept it from her mind and made plans to destroy the female and child that had caused her fathers downfall.

A few nights later, at the human woman's home, she had crept into the babe's room unnoticed, scoffing at the weakness and stupidity of the humans to allow her such easy entry.

She approached the crib letting her claws drip with venom, hate filling her heart. Then she looked down and her hand stilled; the poison retreating back into her body. _He's so small _she thought with wonder looking down at the tiny, puppy eared infant. The boy, whose name she had found out was Inuyasha, opened his eyes to look up at her.

Sesshoumaru gasped in a small breath._ His eyes, they are the same as mine._ The two siblings stared at each other for a moment and then Inuyasha lifted his tiny hands and claws to his sister, asking to be picked up._ How can he not fear me, does he not sense my intent?_ Sesshoumaru asked herself but instead of slicing the child's throat, as she had wanted to do just moments ago, she reached down and picked the infant up.

She felt a bit awkward, she had never held a baby before but a feeling of peace and fulfillment went through her as the tiny babe gripped her haori and smiled at her. She held the boy closer and sat down in the rocking chair that was beside his crib.

"Hello little brother," she intoned quietly. "I am your bro…no…I am your sister, Sesshoumaru." She felt such relieve in saying that, in telling someone who she really was for the first time. "I am sure you can keep my secret."

The white haired hanyou looked up at her seriously as if he had understood and agreed.

Sesshoumaru began to rock, opening the blanket the child had been wrapped in to get a better look at him. He looked very human except for his gold eyes, white hair, puppy ears and claws. There were no demon markings on his perfect little body. The young demon lord thought the child absolutely beautiful.

"I will not kill you now," Sesshoumaru told the infant as she carefully rewrapped him. "That would not be honourable to destroy a helpless infant. I will wait until you grow and get strong so you can at least defend yourself and then I will end your life in fair combat. I am sorry, little brother, but I cannot allow you to take what I have worked and suffered for."

Sesshoumaru was talking about the western lands. The supreme responsibility of protecting them had been laid on her by her father's death. She intended to do as she had been born and trained to do, to be a lord her father could be proud of. She knew that even though the boy was but a hanyou, he was the true heir being the Tashio's only son. She could never think to betray her secret now. The western lands deserved a full youkai as leader. They would not accept a half breed and her father's territory would erupt in war. Then it would be as her mother had always said, Sesshoumaru's fault for being nothing more than a weak, insignificant girl.

She rocked the child in her arms, sniffing his scent and smiled at him. It was a genuinely happy smile, one that had not adorned her face in many years."For tonight we will put that aside, ne?" she asked the boy, watching as his eyes began to get heavy. She continued to cuddle and rock the infant until he was fast asleep, his breath heavy and warm. She rose carefully just as the sun was rising and placed him back in his crib gently. "Goodbye, little brother," she sighed sadly, leaning in and giving his small cheek a light kiss. She then turned and left the way she had come, no one ever knowing she had been there.


	4. The Secret Is Out

Chapter 4: The Secret Is Out

Fifteen years passed until she saw her brother again. This time pinned to a tree by the woman who supposedly loved him.

She had only aged another year and a half during the time her brother had grown as a normal mortal, the infusion of human blood making him age at their rate. Sesshoumaru knew that the demon blood in him would have allowed him to live to be an extremely old man, older than any human could attain, and he more than likely would have kept his strength and mental wits well into old age also.

During those fifteen years she had stayed on the western lands quickly becoming one of the most feared and strongest demons around. Killing was nothing to her, she neither enjoyed it or disliked it and would kill demons and humans alike, although killing the humans bothered her for reasons she couldn't comprehend. She would only do so if they attacked her first, then she would show no mercy.

She visited Inuyasha only once, the day she learned he had been sealed. She went to the tree and stood there looking at him for the longest time, showing absolutely nothing on her face, and saying not a word. Then, just as she had done when he was an infant, she stepped forward and gave him a light kiss on the cheek before leaving to continue her duty to rule the lands of her father.

Fifty more years passed and the human population grew while the demon one waned. Sesshoumaru had attained an immense reputation as the deadly assassin that none could beat. The lands in the west flourished under her protection, doing better than those of other, older lords more experienced than her. She was still considered quite young by youkai standards, only two hundred and twenty years old or the equivalent of twenty two by human standards.

She soon realized that she was the last inu, all the others had been killed or run off. She was saddened by this fact knowing that she would not be able to bear pups, pups that she had secretly longed to have since the day she had held her infant brother. She denied herself the pleasure of sex, she could not afford for anyone to find out what she truly was. And mother had always told her that sex was dirty and painful, something only the beasts enjoyed.

Even now she feared the intimate contact of another even as she craved it at the same time. She had wondered from time to time at the truth of her mother's words. When she had been touched by Anoki all those years ago she had not felt dirty, and his caresses had certainly not been painful, far from it. But then her mother knew more about it than she so Sesshoumaru would have to take her word for it.

She avoided humans and other demons alike for quite some time, trying to keep the loneliness she felt creeping upon her at bay until she broke down and accepted the toad Jaken as her servant. He was a small, weak creature so was no threat to her and she could use a retainer.

Even though Sesshoumaru was, by now, one of the most powerful demons to live, she still wanted more. It didn't seem enough and she hated the Tenseiga, father's sword of life, useless to her as it would not cut anything living.

The hanyou, she found out, was bequeathed the Tetsusaiga, the stronger sword and she grew angry at her father. _Did he know?_ She wondered._ Did he know that I was a girl and his other child a boy and that is why Inuyasha was given that sword?_ She could not fathom her father's motives, feeling again that she had fallen short in his eyes. So she did as she always did and vowed to become even stronger, to find and take the Tetsusaiga for herself, to wield its power and prove beyond a doubt that she was the best.

_It is time that I fulfill my promise, little brother, and end your miserable life. _She searched and found the Tetsusaiga only to have it taken from her by her worthless brother. They engaged furiously in battle but when it came right down to it, she couldn't do it, she couldn't kill the brother she had only ever seen twice and she lost her arm for her weakness.

She recouped and tried again only to once more be unable to destroy him, this time almost losing her own life. The Tenseiga saved her, for whatever reasons she did not know nor did she care. This would only give her another opportunity to take what should have been rightfully hers.

She was waylaid slightly in those plans with the addition of the human child Rin. The need to have a pup was so instinctively strong that she had brought the child back from the dead using the power of her own sword. She hated to admit it, even to herself, but that child had captured her icy heart, the only being to not fear her, to show her compassion and she had accepted the girl as hers. Her retainer, Jaken had not liked it but he dared not go against her. She had no qualms in dispatching of the toad if he displeased her and she made sure that he knew it.

More time went by and more attempts to gain the sword and kill her brother were made. She eventually gave up on it, realizing that for whatever reasons she had, she couldn't kill him. She would not admit that she didn't want to do it, that from the first time she had seen and held him she had loved him and wanted him to live. Possessing the Tetsusaiga didn't seem as important anymore and they even formed a shaky alliance in order to defeat their common enemy Naraku.

That had been quite the battle and that had also been the day that her long held secret had been found out.

The battle had been going on for hours and it finally looked like things were going their way when Sesshoumaru saw one of the spider's long spikes make a bee line for her brother.

Inuyasha didn't notice the one coming from behind, too busy battling the ones coming at him from the front. Kagome yelled out a warning but it was too late, there was no way he was going to be able to get out of the way in time. Sesshoumaru used her immense speed and leapt in front of the appendage, pushing her brother out of harms way. Blood spurted high into the air as the spike shot through her stomach and out her back. She gritted her teeth against the burning pain and attempted to pull the tentacle from her body.

Naraku laughed merrily, and quickly encased her in his hard armour. "I've waited a long time for this," he chuckled. "Now, I will take your body and power as my own."

Sesshoumaru heard a roaring in her ears and began to feel weaker and weaker. She struggled against the hold the hanyou had on her aghast that she had not realized how strong the spider had become.

Inuyasha released the power of the Tetsusaiga to no avail, growling furiously. If Naraku absorbed the taiyoukai, gained Sesshoumaru's immense power and completed the jewel there would be no way that anyone would be able to defeat him.

Naraku managed to kill Miroku and Sango and the rest had all but given up hope, stricken down with grief, as the evil hanyou drove them back. Suddenly Naraku shouted out in surprise, a bright bluish glow was emanating from inside the cocoon encasing Sesshoumaru.

With a pulse of light the bubble of flesh burst apart causing Naraku to scream out in pain. There floating in the air was Sesshoumaru, holding the glowing Tenseiga. The inu lord was surrounded by an ethereal light, her hair whipping around her from the force of the power she was letting flow though her from the sword. She landed on the ground before the spider demon, casting her now flaming, yellow eyes towards her brother.

Inuyasha got the message and brought the full power of Tetsusaiga against their enemy. The inu hanyou called out to the two miko's and Kagome and Kikyo notched their arrows and let them fly simultaneously.

All four beings combined their powers and Naraku flew apart in a massive blast that made everyone fly back from the force of it. When it was over, Naraku was gone, totally obliterated, the battle had finally been won.

Sesshoumaru was the first to awaken and she stood, swaying on her feet, to survey the damage and check on the others. Her brother, the fire cat and the miko Kagome were unconscious but would survive. The walking dead miko Kikyo was gone; her clay body, unable to withstand the power of the blast, had turned to dust and blown away on the wind.

Sesshoumaru approached the dead monk and taijiya and used the Tenseiga to bring them back to life. The sword had then burst into bits, embedding its shards deep into Sesshoumaru's body. The great lord collapsed onto the ground, bleeding heavily from her many wounds and the gaping hole in her body, all her power used up.

_So this is what it's like to die, _she thought without fear as blackness descended on her.

She awoke feeling that every bone in her body must have been broken, the pain was so intense. "Sesshoumaru?" a voice from the darkness questioned. "Are you awake?"

All the demon lord could do was groan, the events of the previous day coming back to her only in bits and pieces. "Here, drink this." She felt cool liquid against her lips and she swallowed greedily, coughing when some went down her airway. She tried to turn her head and focus her eyes on the voice that was helping her. She saw the young miko, Kagome looking down at her with worry evident in her features.

Kagome looked up towards the door, "She's awake," she called to whoever was outside. At first what the teen girl had said didn't register with Sesshoumaru and then it hit her hard.

_She called me 'she',_ the demoness thought, beginning to panic. Sesshoumaru tried to get up from the futon only to gasp out and fall back, her perceptions starting to fade from the pain she had caused herself from moving so quickly.

"Don't move, you'll hurt yourself, you're still healing," a male voice intoned gruffly. Sesshoumaru opened her eyes to look into ones the same as hers.

She growled in anger, _this is not happening, I will not allow it!_ She sat up again, more slowly this time, grabbing the blanket and covering herself when she realized she was naked. She fought the blush that was trying to cover her cheeks. "Where are my clothes?" she asked angrily.

"They were destroyed," Kagome answered her meekly, scooting back away from the angry demon. Naraku's acidic miasma and the force of the blast had broken her armour and shredded the silk that the inu demon always wore.

"Cut it out Sesshoumaru, you've got yourself bleeding again." Inuyasha yelled, he still was in shock at what they had seen when Miroku had awoken them on the battle field.

"Sesshoumaru revived us, Sango is trying to stop the bleeding," Miroku told the confused hanyou helping him from the ground. Kagome had hugged him with tears of joy running down her face, so glad to have her friends back alive and well.

"Where is my brother?" Inuyasha had asked looking around.

Before Miroku could explain what he had seen upon being brought back to life, the hanyou had noticed his brother lying on the ground, Sango at his side trying to staunch the flow of blood. He rushed over and stopped, staring down at the near naked, blood covered form in utter astonishment. His brother was a girl.

Kagome wrapped the horrific wound and Inuyasha passed Sango his haori to cover the demon lord. The taijiya gave the monk a knock on the head for standing and staring at the beautiful female form on the ground.

Inuyasha had then carried his sister to this hut where they had left the two youngsters with Jaken when they had first found Naraku. Then the two human girls had shooed the boys away so they could take care of the near dead demoness.

Jaken came rushing in, "My lady, you're alive," he cried out joyously.

Sesshoumaru was livid; she reached out, and with a roar, backhanded the imp across the room. "Do not ever call me that!" she yelled and then whimpered at the pain that sliced through her. She put her hand to her stomach and it came back red.

The others quickly left the room, not overly excited to have their heads ripped off by the incensed demoness. Inuyasha stood between Sesshoumaru and his friends as the toad got shakily to his feet.

Jaken crawled towards his master on his hands and knees, "My lord, forgive this Jaken your most lowly servant. I meant no disrespect." He kept his head and eyes down. The imp gave a quick glance up when no further punishment was forthcoming, sighing in relief when he saw that she was basically ignoring him as always. A sure sign that forgiveness had been given. Not wanting to incur her wrath any further the toad crept out of the room, "My lord I will attain garments for you," he uttered in his squeaky voice.

"Be sure they are proper garments," Sesshoumaru replied, giving the toad a warning glare. Jaken got the hint loud and clear, no women's kimono.

Sesshoumaru laid back on the futon, felling totally drained. She knew she was going to have to endure being with her brother and his human entourage for now, as much as it irked her to have them know of her true form and see her in such a weakened condition. She contemplated killing them to keep her secret but decided that would have to wait until she had healed, she would decide then on the matter.

"Do not fret little brother," she intoned to Inuyasha who was still standing at the doorway in a defensive stance. "As you can see I am no threat to you at the moment."

Inuyasha relaxed slightly and stepped further into the room, motioning for the others to give him and his sister some privacy. "What's going on?" he asked, wondering for the thousandth time why his brother was a woman.

"I never took you as an imbecile, Inuyasha. You have eyes," she replied coolly.

"You're a woman," he stated rather obviously.

"You astound me with your insight," the wounded demoness replied sarcastically.

"Why, did you cast a spell on yourself or something? Somebody curse you?" Inuyasha was getting aggravated at that condescending tone in his sister's voice.

Sesshoumaru barked out a harsh laugh and then sighed, closing her eyes. She was so tired. "I have always been female," she told the hanyou. There was a slight pause before she continued, her voice drowsy, "You were the only one who knew, the only one I ever told." She was beginning to fade out, her body crying out for sleep so it could repair itself. Somewhere in her psyche, she understood that her brother would not harm her or allow harm to befall her. She relaxed more, content that she would be the one to be protected for a change.

"What? You never told me! What are you talking about?" Inuyasha didn't receive an answer as the taiyoukai had succumbed to sleep. He reached over worriedly and checked for a pulse, sighing in relief when he felt one and could see his sister breathing normally. He was astounded that the demoness would fall asleep being with those who were, at best, temporary allies. _She must be in worse shape than I thought,_ the hanyou worried to himself, feeling a little odd at thinking of his powerful brother as female.

He stayed with his healing sibling, not wanting to leave her side until she awoke. He had more questions he wanted to ask.


	5. My Brother, My Sister

Chapter 5: My Brother, My Sister

Sesshoumaru stood outside the hut looking out into the forest in the pre-dawn hours, everyone else asleep. She could sense the presence of her brother nearby but knew he was also asleep. She soon found him in a tree just slightly to the right of where she was, lying in a half reclined position amidst the branches. His arms were wrapped around the Tetsusaiga, his mouth agape with his hands curled gently in his lap. A ghost of a smile played across her lips looking at his peaceful face. She frowned slightly and turned her attention back out into the forest, her mind full of conflicting thoughts.

She was trying to decide what to do now that this group knew her secret._ I could kill them. It would be easy. They would not even know they were dead._ The idea of killing them all in their sleep, although initially attractive, seemed more the act of a coward and Sesshoumaru was no coward. She also had a flashback of her father telling her to always be honourable. Killing them like that, especially after the aid they had given her, would definitely not be honourable.

Another thought struck her as she stood quietly contemplating, a very tempting thought. She could leave the western lands in her brother's hands take Rin and leave to start a new life, one without constant strife and danger. Perhaps, just perhaps she could live as what she was, instead of the façade that had been forced upon her.

She smiled at the thought of the little human girl, so sweet and innocent, an absolute joy. Sesshoumaru knew she probably allowed the girl to get away with more than she should but she couldn't help it. She never wanted to be like her mother, controlling, overbearing and cruel. So she indulged her in certain things but she still managed to instill in the child a sense of obedience by being fair and patient. So then, didn't this girl, her adopted daughter, deserve a settled home instead of this constant trekking? She had already lost her human parents; did she deserve the worry of losing her demon one as well?

Even though Sesshoumaru was arrogantly confident in her strength and abilities, the battle with the spider had taught her a simple truth. No matter what, there was always someone stronger. It had taken four of them to defeat the hanyou; she knew now that she would not have been able to do it on her own.

The demoness sighed, rubbing the bridge of her nose with her thumb and forefinger. She had still not come to any kind of a decision on what to do. Tempting as the thought of just letting everything go and saying the hell with it, she had developed a sense of honour and responsibility to her heritage and to those affected by it. Her brother was untrained in matters of state, wild and impulsive. He was not anywhere near ready or capable of leading the western lands.

The task had become harder over the years, even for her. The humans seemed to be taking over. She gave a disgusted grunt, they bred faster than rabbits and their fear of her, of what she was, caused them to attack her castle more and more over the years trying to drive her and all demons out. She doubted her brother would be able to defend what had belonged to their father against them; sometimes she wondered how long she would be able to hold the western lands. Inuyasha had such a weakness for the humans, perhaps it was his own human blood that sympathized with them.

She gave a heavy sigh again. Perhaps it would just be best to gather her retainer and daughter and head back to her castle. She could just leave it in the hands of her brother and his group if they would keep her identity secret or not. She would just have to deal and cope with the consequences, something she had been doing all her life.

Inuyasha opened his eyes and watched his sister as she stood looking out into the forest. He noticed that she didn't move and he would have thought her a statue except for her silver hair that blew gently in the breeze and the unmasked emotions that flitted across her face. This surprised him, only ever having seen cool disdain reflecting in the golden eyes, now he saw worry and fatigue in their depths.

His breath caught in his throat when he saw her smile. _She...she's beautiful,_ he thought in awe. It quickly disappeared and he wondered what it was that she had been thinking about to make her smile like that and wished she would do it again.

He felt a surge of protectiveness towards the demoness when he noticed her bring her hand to her still healing stomach. She seemed to be in discomfort and it worried the hanyou. He hopped down out of the tree and came to stand beside her.

Sesshoumaru didn't even blink when he appeared at her side. She just lowered her hand and glanced out of the corner of her eyes at him and then returned to contemplating the woods.

"So what will you do now, little brother?" she questioned him. "You do realize that you are the lord of the western lands, being father's only male heir."

Inuyasha hadn't thought about it. He looked at his sister in surprise at the notion of it. "I don't want the western lands," he informed her. "Is that what you're worried about, that I'll stake a claim on them?"

"It would be your right," she answered back as if it was not a concern to her.

Inuyasha wasn't sure how to respond to that. _Me, a lord?_ he questioned. The thought made him gloat a bit, he could take over his sister's place and there would be nothing she could do about it, in fact she would have to bow to him. But the thought of leading a territory, of having that much responsibility daunted him. It was bad enough having to protect the four members of his pack as it was, could he protect a whole kingdom? He thought not nor did he want to try. He still had to deal with what they were going to do with the Shikon Jewel. They only needed the final three shards to complete the thing but he was unsure of how they were going to get the one shard from Kohaku without killing him. And Kouga, would the wolf just hand over his two shards? He frowned, in much the same manner as his sister, at these thoughts.

"I don't want the western lands," he repeated firmly.

They stood in silence for awhile longer. "So is that why you pretend to be a boy, because of father's lands?" Inuyasha asked.

"Father needed a son, mother made sure he got one," she replied simply.

Inuyasha felt a chill go down his spine, even though Sesshoumaru had shown no emotion on her face there was a timber of hate in her voice that he didn't miss._ How long has she had to do this? _He wondered, feeling intensely curious about his sister's life.

"You said that you told me, what did you mean by that? I don't remember you telling me anything like this," he proclaimed a bit indignantly.

"You would not, you were only an infant."

Inuyasha looked at her with large, round eyes. "Sesshoumaru, what in the hell are you talking about?"

"I came to you when you were but a few days old," she explained. "I came to kill you, but I found myself…" she hesitated slightly, "telling you my secret instead."

Inuyasha had the thought that there was more to it than that but he didn't know how to ask her to explain more. It shocked him that she had not killed him when she had the chance. She had certainly been trying for quite some time to do just that very thing.

"So…you're going to go back to the western lands," he half asked, half stated.

"Yes, it is my duty," she replied and for a second she looked as if the weight of the world had fallen on her before she hid it behind the uncaring mask she always wore.

She glanced again at her brother, "You will not tell of what I am? Women are not supposed to be lords," she informed him.

"None of my business, you seem to have done a good enough job, why should I interfere," he replied. He hesitated for awhile then asked the question that had been bothering him the most. "Why did you save me? I mean Naraku could have killed me, just like you always wanted, so…"

"Perhaps I did not want you to die," she answered still looking straight ahead._ Perhaps I have never wanted you to die,_ she thought to herself.

Inuyasha was shocked at the statement. He could hear the honesty in her voice and he was pleased that she really didn't seem to want his death any longer._ Maybe there's some hope for us, to be a family,_ he thought hopefully.

Her wound gave another twinge of pain and she began to raise her hand to it but stopped herself. It was bad enough that everyone knew what she was; she did not want to further embarrass herself by showing that she was weakened.

Inuyasha noticed the slight change in her placid expression and saw her start to hold her stomach. _She's still in pain. She should be resting, not standing out here in the dark._ He again felt the urge to protect his sibling. "Let's go in, the sun will be coming up soon and the rest will be getting up. We should try and get a bit more sleep," he suggested. He watched as she turned to head back, walking a lot slower than was normal for her. He resisted the urge to help her seeing as she probably wouldn't accept anyways.

"Will you stay for a couple of more days?" he asked and then quickly added. "I mean just until you're healed." Inuyasha really wanted a chance to get to know his sister better, he had a feeling that maybe she wasn't as bad as he had always thought._ A sister, I have a sister,_ he thought with astonishment, it sort of really just becoming real to him.

She gave a nod, "Just until I am able to travel," she answered before stepping quietly into the hut and settling herself on the futon, wrapping her long boa around her. She watched as her brother took a seat by the door, holding his sword and looking out into the brightening sky. She closed her eyes knowing again that she was protected and fell back asleep.


	6. Another Chance At Love?

Chapter 6: Another Chance at Love?

Miroku sighed in relief at the knowledge that the demon lord was female. Ever since Sesshoumaru had joined their group to find and defeat Naraku, he had had thoughts about the taiyoukai that had made him seriously question his sexuality.

He wondered why he, a connoisseur of women, had never noticed that the beautiful, white haired creature was female. _It's those androgynous looks_, he thought. The demon lord's features were a perfect blend of male and female, easily allowing her to appear as either. _Guess the body knows what the mind does not,_ he grinned to himself as he put the demoness on his internal 'future conquest' list.

_Ah…to have such a dangerous flower,_ the monk thought with a faraway, dreamy look on his face. He stopped his fantasizing as the object of his desires glided into view.

"Lord Sesshoumaru," he greeted respectfully, feeing only slightly odd at calling a woman lord. Sesshoumaru certainly deserved the title. "You look well."

She glanced over at the handsome, smiling monk leaning against the tree. "I am healing," she replied formally.

She was a bit disconcerted at the time it was taking her to recover. She had been here three days and still the wound in her stomach ached. The worst of it was that she felt tired and drained much of the time. The near total depletion of her demonic energy the day of the battle was taking longer than she had hoped to replenish. She supposed she should rest more but then that would show weakness, one never showed weakness to another. That was why she had decided to head out into the forest, to get some time alone to relax and allow her mind and body the peace it needed to strengthen.

Her brother had been following her around almost constantly like a lost puppy, making her irritable and nervous as she was not accustomed to that much attention from another. Even little Rin knew when to leave the demoness alone. She had sighed with relief when the miko had distracted the hanyou long enough for her to slip away for some much needed privacy, which it seemed, she was still not going to get.

That exhausted feeling was creeping over her and she just didn't have the energy to go further to get away from the monk so she just stood looking out over the hill.

Miroku sat down under the tree, crossing his legs and looking out onto the valley of tall grass below them. "I would be most honoured if you would join me," he said pleasantly.

She had to admit, she was intrigued by this human. He was always smiling, even before when the curse was upon his hand, he always had a joy for life that Sesshoumaru found perplexing and interesting. She stood in silence for a moment before gracefully seating herself in the shade as well, her back against the trunk of the tree.

She found herself being soothed by the peaceful aura coming from the pig tailed human. He was quiet and calm, a balm to her frayed nerves from having to deal with the others over these past few days. He didn't prattle on trying to engage her in small talk, which she detested. One should only speak if there was something of importance to be said, hadn't her mother told her that? She couldn't remember anymore, there had always been so many rules from both her mother and her father that sometimes she forgot who said what.

She looked over to the monk and her heart gave a loud thump. He was sitting there quietly, gazing at her with that smile. That smile that said everything was alright with the world so don't worry about a thing. She found herself staring back into his strange, violet eyes. Did other humans have eyes that color? She thought not, something else unique to the man.

She began to feel a most odd sensation as they continued to look at each other, she felt her cheeks get warmer which made her do something she never did. She broke eye contact first, looking away from his piercing stare. She frowned so slightly that Miroku didn't pick up the small change in her facial features, wondering what he had done to make her feel and do such things. She realized that she was blushing, something that only one other male had ever made her do.

Miroku lay back on the grass, crossing his arms under his head and stretching his legs out. _Did she just blush?_ He wondered feeling a bit giddy as he stared up at the clouds. He thought she looked stunning with that pink tint crossing her face and he glanced over to see what she was doing now.

Sesshoumaru leaned her head back and closed her eyes, getting herself back under control._ How foolish, he is just a human, not even worthy of my time,_ she thought disdainfully at herself still feeling unsettled that he had made her look away. She could sense him looking at her again. "How is your hand?" she asked to break the silence that normally she loved.

"Fine. It's as if the wind tunnel was never there," he replied.

"Why then, do you continue to wear your gauntlet?"

Miroku had found that his hand just felt naked without the purple glove and blue prayer beads that he had worn since the death of his father, so he just put it back on, unable to get used to it not being there. "Old habit I guess," he grinned, turning over on his side to watch her better.

This was something. Normally the stoic lord wouldn't say two words to anyone with the exception of Inuyasha and here she was virtually talking up a storm. She opened her eyes and captured him with those lovely, golden orbs, this time it was Miroku who looked away feeling his own face begin to heat.

She quirked an eyebrow at him, puzzling over his reaction. He had just piqued her curiosity in his ability to go from confident man to shy boy in a matter of seconds. She just couldn't figure him out and when he brought his eyes back to her again, she sat calmly waiting to see if he would look away again.

Miroku kept his eyes locked onto Sesshoumaru's. She seemed to be waiting for him to do something so he decided he would. He rolled over onto his hands and knees and began to creep carefully towards her. He saw her eyes widen slightly but she made no move to leave or to disembowel him, so after a short hesitation he continued.

She continued her stare down with the monk as he stalked towards her with that grin tugging at the corners of his lips. Her instincts told her that was exactly what he was doing; stalking her as if she were prey. She had been surprised at the boldness of this human, did he not know that she could kill him if she so chose? Even in this weakened condition he would still be no match for her. Nothing showed outwardly but Sesshoumaru felt a pleasant shiver travel down her spine as she watched him advance towards her.

"Oi, monk, what are you doing?" Inuyasha shouted as he approached the pair. What Miroku was doing, creeping up on his sister like that, had kicked in the hanyou's protective nature and he frowned at his friend as the boy scrambled to his feet.

"Not…nothing, we were just talking," he stammered out, his face really turning red now at being caught.

Sesshoumaru stifled the frustrated sigh of exasperation that was trying to come from between her lips and stood as well. Was she never to get a moment to herself? "Inuyasha," she intoned. "What are you doing here?"

"I didn't know where you went, I just wanted to make sure you were okay," he answered still glaring at the monk.

"As you can see, I am fine," she returned disdainfully, irritated that the proceedings had been interrupted. She had been very curious as to what the monk had been planning on doing. She gave the dark haired man a slight nod and then turned to walk back to the hut, Inuyasha walking beside her.

Miroku bowed to the retreating siblings and stayed where he was, amazed at his own forwardness towards the taiyoukai. He knew he could easily lose his life if he wasn't careful in his pursuit of her, perhaps even at the hands of his friend considering the baleful glare he had just received from the hanyou. The danger held its own enticement however and he sat back down, deciding that it was worth the chase.

"You should be careful of that monk," stated Inuyasha, still feeling irritated about what he saw.

"I can handle myself against any mortal," Sesshoumaru responded.

"You haven't met anyone quite like Miroku," the hanyou shot back. "Just what the hell was he doing anyways?"

"I believe he was crawling on his hands and knees," the demon lord responded nonplussed.

Inuyasha gave a low growl._ He better not be doing what I think he's doing_, he thought. Sesshoumaru glanced over towards him hearing the possessive sound coming from her brother. "You shouldn't be around him alone," he ground out.

"And who are you to tell me what to do?" Sesshoumaru was beginning to lose her patience with her sibling. Just because he now knew she was a girl was no reason for him to try and control her actions. She stopped and glared down at him.

"I'm your brother," Inuyasha intoned, trying to stare down the taiyoukai.

"So I should do as you command, be meek and docile?" she demanded, beginning to growl herself.

Inuyasha began to feel a bit nervous at the anger he was sensing and he dropped his eyes. Their relationship had been going well but it was still fragile and he didn't want to upset his sister into not wanting to speak to him. He enjoyed their talks, even though he did most of the talking, but Sesshoumaru always seemed interested in what he had to say. "I'm just saying," he answered with less force and anger. "Just be careful."

"You do not trust your own comrade?" she asked curiously. What kind of danger could this weak human be to her? None that she could think of. She wondered if he had some power she was unaware of and decided that perhaps she should find out. She began to continue to walk towards the hut.

"Only with certain things," Inuyasha responded, breaking her out of her thoughts.

"Oh?" she questioned.

"He's a lecherous womanizer," Inuyasha grumped.

Sesshoumaru tried to hide the amused grin that was threatening to overtake her quiet composure. "Are you worried for my honour, little brother?"

Inuyasha blushed. As much as he knew that Sesshoumaru could handle herself and had been doing so for quite some time, he still felt the need to protect his sibling. Not only because she was female but because she was family, a member of his pack and therefore his responsibility.

She turned her face to hide the smile that was tugging at her lips, managing to again bring herself under control. "There is no man that will lay claim to this Sesshoumaru," she stated pridefully. _Especially not some unworthy human,_ not knowing how wrong her boast and thought was going to be.


	7. Tentative Beginnings

Chapter 7: Tentative Beginnings

A few days later Sesshoumaru felt strong enough to start the journey back to the western lands. She would have to walk unfortunately, Ah-Un had been destroyed by Naraku leaving very little for the Tenseiga to be able to bring back. She could not use her demonic powers to fly, even though they were stronger, she was still not up to full strength and did not wish to deplete what energy she had gained. The others had insisted that they accompany her and she had refused the offers to ride the fire cat on principal, she was no weakling and would not be seen as one.

They all stopped for a break and lunch not far from a hot springs. Sesshoumaru ate the food that had been prepared. She was pragmatic as far as food was concerned, eating demon and human fare alike. Food was needed to maintain energy and one never knew if or when the next meal would be forthcoming so it was best to eat what was available when you had the chance. Although she had to admit she had really enjoyed those chocolate covered sticks the miko girl had given her, going so far as to eat the whole box causing her brother to throw a fit and the human girl to sit him into the ground at his temper. She certainly hoped to get more of those again.

She would have liked to have tried those noodles in the strange cups but her brother guarded those with a ferocity that surprised and amused her so she had let him have his prize. Once in awhile she half heartedly attempted to snitch them from him just to see his reactions, almost laughing out loud when he had clutched the container to his chest as he leapt into a tree with a most ferocious and hilarious scowl on his face.

After eating, Sesshoumaru decided to take advantage of the springs. Everyone else had gone off to do their own things so she headed down to the water on her own. She smiled, as there was no one there to see her do so, at the steam coming from the pool, anticipating the feel of its warmth against her skin. Just as she was getting ready to disrobe, the monk appeared out from under the water. The waters scent had covered his when he had been totally submerged.

He stood with his back to her not noticing she was there. She stood spellbound watching as the water sheeted and dripped off his body, staring at the drops as they trailed down over the broad shoulders, muscular back, tight rear and strong thighs. She felt her heart beat faster and she swallowed, her throat suddenly feeling rather dry.

Miroku turned around, surprised to see Sesshoumaru standing there watching him with a definite look of interest in her eyes. At first he dropped down into the water, his face turning crimson. Sesshoumaru mumbled an apology and turned to leave.

"You could join me," Miroku offered half joking, not one to let an opportunity to flirt pass him by.

The teasing tone Sesshoumaru heard stopped her and she frowned in annoyance at the perceived challenge. _This Sesshoumaru does not flee from a simple mortal like a frightened peasant girl, if I wish to bathe I will._ She turned back around, a bored look adorning her features and disrobed before stepping into the water, internally congratulating herself at the shocked look on the monks face.

Miroku thought that his heart had stopped. Sesshoumaru was just stunning and he kept himself under the water to hide his burgeoning arousal. He felt her breasts were a bit small for her tall frame, not understanding that the constant binding she endured had kept them from attaining their full potential. Other than that she was the epitome of female perfection. Slim waist, rounded hips, flat stomach and those stripes running around her one wrist, ankles and the swell of her hips were the most erotic thing Miroku had ever seen. Even her missing arm did not detract from her loveliness in the monks mind. He watched as she seated herself on one of the ledges in the pool across from him, seemingly unaffected and unconcerned to be bathing sans clothing with a naked man.

Sesshoumaru pretended to ignore the human male, smirking internally as his obvious discomfort. She dipped her head back into the water to get it wet so she could start the arduous process of cleaning her long hair. When she sat back up she jumped a little in surprise as the monk was sitting beside her._ How did he move so quietly_, she thought, a bit miffed at herself for showing a reaction to his close proximity.

"I could wash your hair for you, if you wish," Miroku offered, keeping his tone polite and subservient. He realized as he watched her that she would find the task difficult with only one arm and it would allow him to get closer to her.

She looked down her nose at him and nodded curtly, granting him permission._ Just as it should be, humans were born to be servants._ She turned her back to him so he could gain access to the white tresses.

Miroku applied the shampoo he had brought with him smiling slightly as he felt Sesshoumaru relax under his touch, closing her eyes. He lathered up the long hair marvelling at how soft it felt in his fingers and then leaned closer to her in surprise. He could hear a soft sound, just barely audible, it almost sounded like a gentle growl. He leaned in a little closer, turning his head with his ear almost touching her back so he could hear better. Then he realized what the sound was, _she…she's purring_. He grinned happily at the noise he had caused, sitting back up. Never would he have believed that such a pleasant, gentle sound would come from the daunting and cold demon lord of the Western lands.

"You can lean back into the water," he told her as he regretfully finished lathering and cleaning. He couldn't believe he hadn't done something inappropriate like caress that perfect rear. He supposed that maybe that was a good thing, seeing as he enjoyed living.

Sesshoumaru ducked down under the water, showing nothing of the internal conflict that was going on within her. She could not stop purring. It had started when the monk had used his talented fingers to cleanse and massage her scalp and hair. She had never in her life purred before and did not even know how she was doing it.

_Perhaps this was not a good idea,_ she thought nervously, still trying to stop that noise. She had managed to keep it very quiet so she hoped the human had not heard. She began to feel a tendril of panic at her inability to silence herself when the vibrating sensation stopped, the negative emotion she was experiencing muting the happy sound immediately.

She rose out of the water a few feet away from Miroku wanting to put some distance between her and the man that seemed to be able to make her do things that were not normal for her.

"Are you okay," Miroku asked seeing a slight look of tension on her face.

"Of course," she replied haughtily.

He smiled at her and again her heart beat a little faster. Now self conscious about being in the springs naked and alone with him she stood to leave.

"Have I offended you, lord Sesshoumaru?" Miroku asked, not wanting her to go.

"No," she replied. Glancing over at him she asked, "What are your intentions monk?"

"My intentions?" he questioned. "I guess…I would like to know you better," he stated simply.

"To what end?" she asked, sitting back down in the water on the rock beside him.

"Not very trusting are you," Miroku stated matter of factly.

"I suppose I am not. Trust is something that must be earned," she returned to him looking into his eyes.

"Uh…yeah," he replied nervously. He wasn't able to read her expression at all but he knew she was quite serious. He was again entranced with her eyes, _so lovely, to hide all this beauty under the guise of a man…how sad._ "Can I kiss you?" he asked suddenly.

"Is this a way to get to know me better, as you put it?" she questioned, suddenly feeling nervous and shy._ Why do I feel such things? This is unacceptable,_ she berated herself._ I have no need to fear a kiss._

"I'm sorry, perhaps I have overstepped myself," Miroku returned, suddenly feeling nervous himself at the slight anger he could feel in her aura.

"You may kiss me," she replied aloofly.

Miroku leaned towards the stiffly waiting demon. _I think she's nervous,_ he thought with some astonishment._ I suppose, that would make sense; having to behave as a man would not lend itself to kissing one._ He cupped her face gently with his hands and pressed his lips to hers chastely in a quick kiss. He pulled back to interrupt her reaction, which in the case of the stoic lord was sometimes very hard to do. He kissed her again when she leaned in towards him, and began to feel slightly light headed at the sensations of her soft lips against his returning his kiss. He touched his tongue to her lips to deepen the kiss but suddenly she wasn't there.

Sesshoumaru pushed away from the monk trying to control her breathing and heart rate which, for some reason, had become quite erratic. The kiss she had received caused feelings of longing and want to well up within her, feelings which frightened her at their intensity and at the lack of control they were causing her._ What is this? Why do I feel this?_ She tried to hide her confusion behind her normal cool, uncaring exterior. "I…I should leave," she stammered slightly as she stood, cursing herself inwardly for not being able to maintain her icy demeanour.

Miroku stood as well and took hold of her wrist as she tried to leave. She looked at his hand on her wrist and then at him, narrowing her eyes in anger. Her eyes opened wide when he lifted her hand to his mouth and kissed it. "Thank you," he sighed, "for the kiss." He grinned and released her arm.

Sesshoumaru didn't know what to say, she blushed and then turned trying not to be too hasty in her exit. She donned her clothing and glanced back at the monk who was still standing in the water, that strange, warm feeling overtaking her again before she walked away into the forest.

Miroku grinned hugely, _well, I'm not dead. This is a good start._ He dressed and walked leisurely back to the camp, unable to take the goofy smile off his face.


	8. Miroku's Big Mistake

Chapter 8: Miroku's Big Mistake

In the few days it had taken to get to the village just inside the western lands, Sesshoumaru and Miroku had come to know each other a bit better. Sesshoumaru was overwhelmed sometimes by what she felt for this human in such a short time. She looked for him in the morning upon waking and would try and stay near to him throughout the day, which wasn't much of a problem as he usually wanted to be near her as well. They had talked a lot during their travels but had not repeated that kiss. Sesshoumaru even opened up a bit about her past and told him how she had become a man. She did leave out some of the more abusive aspects of her life though, not yet ready to share with someone the shame she still sometimes felt.

Miroku had been astonished that a mother could do that to their own child and began to understand why the demon lord had the personality she did. He was also able to see the person Sesshoumaru could have been as he unknowingly broke down the walls of protection she had set around her heart allowing him to see the warmth trying to come out from under the cold, distant demeanour. She graced him with smiles every so often, making him think he was seeing an angel and he tried as best as he could to make her smile more often.

Even Inuyasha, who was sometimes dense in these matters, noticed the small changes in his sister. "You seem happy," he said with astonishment one day. His sister never showed much more than disdain or boredom so this was a new thing to be seeing from her.

Sesshoumaru quirked an eyebrow at him, "I suppose I am," she answered giving the hanyou a small grin.

Inuyasha frowned and glanced at his friend._ Miroku, you better know what you're doing here._ Inuyasha decided he better have a talk with the monk. He wasn't totally sure what was going on between the demoness and his friend but he saw the amount of time the two of them were spending together. It made the hanyou a bit nervous seeing as Kagome had told him that Sango and Miroku liked each other. If Sesshoumaru liked him as well he could see problems quickly developing. So far Sango had been so involved with her brother that she hadn't noticed how well Sesshoumaru and Miroku were getting along.

When they stopped at the village to see if they could acquire lodging, Inuyasha took Miroku aside. "What are you up to, Miroku?" he asked.

"I don't know what you mean," the monk responded a bit nervously looking at the scowl adorning his friends face.

"With my sister," Inuyasha ground out "Do you like her?"

"Inuyasha, I would never do anything inappropriate. You must believe me." Miroku began to panic slightly. He had come to realize that the hanyou had become fairly protective of his sister over the time they had spent together. The two siblings had also gotten time to know each other and come to terms with their past. He didn't relish getting whacked on the head or maybe worse if the half demon thought he was toying with Sesshoumaru.

"That's not what I asked and what do you mean inappropriate? What are you doing with her?" Inuyasha narrowed his eyes in suspicion at his friend.

"Nothing, nothing," Miroku answered waving his hand, "I just enjoy getting to know her. We're just friends. You always think the worst of me," he moaned theatrically.

"Humm, well just don't do anything stupid like you always do," Inuyasha warned. "Sesshoumaru is not going to put up with your antics the way Sango does."

Miroku just grinned, "I'm sure she really doesn't care about that," he laughed and then headed off to see if he could obtain a place for the night for them.

Sesshoumaru was sitting under a tree looking out over a small park area the village had. Jaken had brought her some food and she sat and ate watching as Rin and Shippou played. _Maybe the fates have decided to look on me with favour,_ she thought as she pondered her feelings towards the human monk. She actually liked him, much to her own surprise._ Falling for a human, just like you father; perhaps I am more like you than like mother._ The thought made her smile, glad that something else her mother had told her had been proven wrong. _All humans are not bad, some are worthy of our protection, our love._

They were only two days from her castle and she was hoping that they would stay until they had figured out what they were going to do with the jewel. Sango and Kohaku were joined at the hip and the demon lord hoped to be able to help with extracting the shard from the boy's back without killing him. Watching the two siblings and the obvious love they shared for each other had given her encouragement to try and make amends with her own brother and she thought they were making good progress. _Hanyou's are not despicable creatures either, mother,_ she thought to herself.

She was really hoping that she and Miroku could also spend more time together. That kiss he had given her in the hot springs had been very nice and maybe it was time to take their relationship a bit further. She had decided to tell him her feelings for him. As she sat daydreaming she realized a weight had been lifted from her. The others and especially Miroku, knowing her secret gave her a sense of relief. It was wonderful not having to pretend to be something she was not, to be able to be with someone special and to be able to trust. Trusting in others had always been hard for her but this group she was learning to have confidence in, having faith that they would keep her secret and that she could entrust her heart to the monk.

That was why what happened hurt her so much.

She noticed Miroku and Inuyasha as they approached one of the larger of the village huts across from where she was sitting. She rose from her position on the ground to go over when she saw a lovely young woman come out of the hut. Miroku was talking to her, smiling at her charmingly which caused Sesshoumaru to frown. She could sense her brother's irritation as well and it began to make her edgy. She began to walk over growling low in her throat as she saw Miroku lean closer to the girl and heard her giggle.

Inuyasha's head turned to watch his very pissed off sister approaching and before he could smack his stupid friend, who was trying to flirt his way into getting them a room in the large hut, Miroku had draped his arm around the girl who was giggling and blushing promising to talk her father into allowing them to stay.

Sesshoumaru stopped dead._ What is he doing?_ Anger rose in her breast,_ how dare he! This Sesshoumaru is better than any other woman. _Sesshoumaru felt a pain in her chest when she saw the monk take the girls hands in his own and kiss them, just like he had done with her. Not able to control her feelings of hurt, betrayal and jealousy she crossed to the monk and girl in an instant, pushing the giddy woman away and grabbing the monk by his robes, she promptly punched him hard in the face, knocking him unconscious. She then swiped her claws across his exposed throat giving him four small gashes that trickled blood, a definite warning.

Inuyasha went to grab his sister afraid that she was going to kill his friend when she dropped him to the ground. Kagome, Sango and Kohaku came running up wondering what had happened to cause Sesshoumaru to want to hurt Miroku. The demon lord turned and walked away calling to Rin and Jaken.

"Sesshoumaru, wait," Inuyasha called out. The girls were trying to revive the monk so the hanyou went after his sister.

Sesshoumaru stopped and waited for her brother.

"Where are you going?"

"Home," she replied coldly and before he could stop her she called upon her power, forming her cloud beneath her feet. She picked up Rin while Jaken scurried to grab onto her long fur boa and then took off without a backwards glance.

_Damn it Miroku, I told you. My sister isn't the type to just give you a slap on the cheek, you're lucky she didn't kill you._ Inuyasha turned back to his friend who was still out cold; the others were helping the girl from the hut try and take him inside. He walked over, almost as angry as Sesshoumaru had been, and picked him up, flinging the unconscious monk over his shoulder to carry him inside.

Sesshoumaru made it back to her castle in record time, pushing herself to get as much distance from the human and herself as quickly as possible. _How could I have been so foolish? What does this Sesshoumaru need with love?_ She landed in the courtyard and commanded Jaken to take care of Rin while she went directly to her room. Jaken bowed and quickly took the little girl away, frightened by the anger coming off his lord.

She sat down on the futon tiredly, that bit of flying had taken a lot of her energy. She removed her boots and armour and lay back on the thick covers staring at the ceiling. A blank look adorned her face as various thoughts raced through her mind.

_Why did I ever think that things could be different? I am lord and must act as such, not dream of foolish romance. _

_Was I not good enough for him? I thought he liked me. Damn human! Damn him to hell, I don't need him or anybody. I am a powerful demon, what do I need with a pathetic, deceiving human? I do not care what he does or who he does it with! _

_Why does this hurt so much?_ She did not have an angry reply to that last question so instead she curled up on her side, not allowing herself to release the tears that were stinging at her eyes.

"Ungh," Miroku moaned as he began to come to. "What happened?" he asked as he put his hand to his pounding head. He was laying on a futon with Kagome and Sango sitting beside him.

"Sesshoumaru hit you," answered Kagome. "What happened, Miroku? What made her so mad?"

"I need to talk to Miroku alone," Inuyasha interrupted in an eerily quiet voice before the monk could say anything. "Can you guys give us a minute?"

"Su…sure," the girls said in unison as they stood and left the room. Kagome gave Inuyasha a quizzical look that he ignored and then she followed Sango out the door.

Inuyasha sat beside Miroku and grabbed him by the front of his robes, hauling the human up to face him. "I told you not to play your games."

Miroku grasped the hanyous arm, feeling light headed and slightly nauseous at having been moved so quickly. He soon realized that his throat was hurting as well. He reached his other hand to his neck feeling the bandages there. He looked to his friend for answers.

"She could have killed you, ripped your head right off, be thankful you got off so lightly," Inuyasha told him, dropping him back onto the futon. "She really liked you, you dolt. Why did you do that?"

"I was just trying to get us a place to stay… How do you know she really liked me?" he asked. Miroku knew they had been getting along but Sesshoumaru always seemed to keep herself at a distance so he had begun to think that maybe she wasn't interested.

Normally that wouldn't have stopped him in his desire to get what he wanted, only making the chase that much more interesting, but for some reason he had been bothered by the thought that she might reject him and he had decided not to pursue her any longer in order to protect himself. He had almost convinced himself that he didn't care for her more than being a friend.

"You didn't see her eyes when she left," Inuyasha stated sadly. He knew from his time with his sister that a lot of the happiness she was beginning to show was because of Miroku. He turned angry eyes on his friend. "You hurt her Miroku and I won't forgive you for it!" The hanyou stood and stalked out of the room leaving a stunned monk behind.

_She's gone?_ Miroku didn't like that idea at all and he sure didn't like the feeling of guilt that was creeping through him. This was something new to him, never before had he felt guilty about flirting with other women and never before had it bothered him that one of his "future conquests" had left him. He stood shakily to his feet waiting for the room to stop spinning before he headed out the door._ Could I have been wrong, she really does like me? I've got to make things right, I've got to get her back._

Sesshoumaru tried to put the monk out of her mind, carrying out her normal routine around the castle, everyone else just tried to stay out of the way of the moody demon. But not matter what she was doing thoughts of him would enter out of nowhere leaving her feeling sad and lonely.

_How could I have been taken in by his lies?_ Sesshoumaru growled to herself, letting the poison in her claws eat through the table she was sitting at. She brought herself back under control, reabsorbing the venom back into her body. _How can I still love him?_ She sighed heavily. _Perhaps I over reacted, I did not give him a chance to explain. Maybe I should seek him out._

She growled out loud this time, clenching her hand into a fist. _Where is my pride? He should come to me, this Sesshoumaru does not grovel at the feet of a human, what am I thinking? _

The demoness was becoming more than frustrated at her lack of ability to come up with a solution to solve this problem. Always she could handle and control everything in her life but now, this mere mortal, had stripped her of that capacity. She leaned her head forward into her hand trying to suppress the urge to cry or scream; she didn't know which. She wanted to kill him in one instant and the next she just wanted to run into his arms, the conflicting emotions causing her to doubt herself for the first time in a very long time.

"My lord," Jaken uttered from the doorway, cautiously peering in to try and gauge the mood of the silent demon.

"What is it Jaken," she answered a bit testily, lifting her head to glare at her retainer, not wishing to be interrupted.

"There is someone here to see you," Jaken squeaked out nervously.

"Send them on their way. I have no interest in seeing anyone."

Jaken turned to close the door and do just as he had been ordered. "Wait," she called out, _maybe it's Miroku. _The thought made her heart speed up and she rose and walked past the toad. "Where are they?" she asked.

"In the main room," the little imp answered.

Sesshoumaru walked regally into the main area feeling a bit excited at the prospect of seeing the monk again, surprised at how much she had missed him. She stopped in utter amazement looking at the person before her.

"Sesshoumaru, it's been a long time."

"Anoki," she whispered.


	9. Rivals In Love

Chapter 9: Rivals In Love

"Anoki," she whispered. "Where have you been, I thought you had died." Sesshoumaru was totally floored; never would she have expected to see her cousin ever again. She, of course, hid her surprise behind the cold, lordly exterior.

"Cousin, it's good to see you. You have grown more beautiful than an angel." Anoki gave a short laugh. "You still look like a girl."

Sesshoumaru frowned and then her eyes opened large in shock as her very handsome cousin embraced her. He held her tight, his warm breath ghosting over her neck causing goosebumps to form unbidden on her skin. _I still react to his touch, I have missed him,_ she thought and let herself embrace him, smelling his scent that she had put into her memory so long ago.

"Let's sit and I'll tell you what happened since we last saw each other," he told her, regretfully moving away from his cousins warm body.

Sesshoumaru led him into one of the smaller rooms. It had many cushions on the floor around a large, short legged table. She called Jaken to make tea for the two of them. When the toad left, Anoki relayed his tale.

"After I went home my father basically disowned me, he sent me far away to a place called Europe. There I was abandoned to my own devices. So many humans there Sesshoumaru, you wouldn't believe it. They all feared me because I looked so different. They called me the spawn of the devil and tried to kill me. The mob probably would have succeeded if it hadn't been for Father Webbe." Anoki made the sign of the cross causing Sesshoumaru to look at him quizzically at the hand gesture.

"It's a sign of Christianity, a religion of that region," he told his cousin. "I'll explain it to you later if you wish. Now where was I, oh yes, Father Webbe took me in as an apprentice and trained me in the use of the broadsword. They're very large, heavy swords, not like what we have at all, no magical powers. They have a much different way of fighting as well but I, of course, was able to defeat anyone that challenged me. Father was most impressed with my own fighting style, and for a human not native to our country, he did quite well when he learned the martial arts."

"Why do you call him father? Didn't you say he was human?" Sesshoumaru questioned.

"Father is his status, he's a priest. Sort of like our monks. All priests are called Father." He grinned at Sesshoumaru, that same grin he had given her as a young teen and she felt her cheeks heating up.

"I stayed with the Father for quite some time, learning his language and his teachings until his death and then I went out into the country hoping to find a way to return to my own land. There are no demons there, or at least none that I could find. I often wondered if some of the humans I ran into were disguised demons. Some of them gave off peculiar auras. Do you know the Father never believed I was a demon? He thought I was some poor malformed human, because of my ears. I never transformed because I didn't want him to know what I was. He always said all demons were evil. For some reason I didn't want him to think me evil."

"The humans didn't try to kill you anymore?" Sesshoumaru asked.

"Oh yes, but I disguised myself quite well. They thought I was some exotic human from a far away land, can you believe that," Anoki laughed, his tone deep and booming. Sesshoumaru felt shivers of pleasure course down her back at the sound.

Anoki continued to tell Sesshoumaru some of his adventures and experiences and of his attempts to return. "In the end though, all I could think about was you. I never found out what had happened to you and I finally found a way to get back here on their human ships. I had to see you, to tell you…"

Just then Jaken interrupted, "My lord, there is a messenger waiting for you from the east."

"I'm sorry, excuse me Anoki, this is something I have been waiting for."

"No trouble cousin, I would like to look around your castle if I may, we can talk later," the grey haired demon returned, bowing.

"Feel free to go where you wish," Sesshoumaru told him as she left to speak to the messenger.

"Thank you," Miroku said to the man who told him the way to the great dog lord's castle. He continued on his way leaving the rest of his group further behind. He had snuck away the same evening he found out Sesshoumaru had left. Inuyasha still wasn't speaking to him and Kagome had gone to the hanyou to try to talk to him on Miroku's behalf.

Miroku would have just liked to have forgotten the whole thing and gone and flirted with Sango but he couldn't get the beautiful demoness out of his mind.Miroku had never felt so strongly about another before, he realized he probably loved her, truly loved her. Not the way he usually loved women, only with his body, but with his whole being and he was determined to get her back.

It had taken him longer than he thought to make it to the gates of the castle because he had no idea where Sesshoumaru's castle was. He had had to stop and get directions and on the second day had gotten lost taking a wrong turn. So here he was four days later knocking on the large door.

"What do you want?" the toad asked irritably when he slid the door open to the monk.

"It's always a pleasure to see you too, Jaken," replied Miroku with a smile, not worried about the imps poor manners. "I've come to speak to Sesshoumaru."

"My lord is busy and is not accepting guests," the toad grumbled, beginning to close the door.

Miroku held his staff in the way to prevent it from shutting in his face. "I'm not leaving until I speak to her," he retaliated, speaking low so if any others were about they would not hear.

Jaken glowered at the human monk but then relented, opening the door wide. "Wait in the main hall, I'll see if my lord will see you." The toad scurried off into the castle to find Sesshoumaru, cursing under his breath as he went.

Miroku looked around, impressed. The room he was in was large and beautifully decorated with artwork adorning the walls and expensive but not ostentatious chairs lining one wall. There was even a lavish warriors costume right at the front of the foyer, encased in glass. He was looking at the impressively detailed costume when he whirled, feeling a demonic aura behind him that wasn't Sesshoumaru.

"Who are you?" questioned the grey haired dog demon male, looking quizzically at the human.

Miroku bowed, taking in the tall, muscular demon before him wondering the same thing. He had no idea there were other inu demons in this area other than Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha. He had almost thought they were the last of their kind. "I am the monk, Miroku. May I have the pleasure of your name?"

The handsome demon quirked an eyebrow at the human, _he shows no fear at all, what would a monk want with my cousin?_ "My name is Anoki. What is your business with my cousin?"

_Cousin? That explains the similarities in their looks, I wonder if he knows about Sesshoumaru._ "My business is of a personal matter," Miroku answered politely, deciding to err on the side of caution in case this demon did not know the truth.

"Miroku, what are you doing here," Sesshoumaru stated coldly as she entered the room. She was doing a wonderful job of controlling her heart that was thumping loudly and happily at the sight of him.

"I have come to speak with you," he returned, saddened by her lack of emotion. He had hoped she would have been a bit glad to see him. _I really have my work cut out for me if I want to get her back._

Sesshoumaru crossed the distance between them in an instant, wrapping her claws around the human's throat, her eyes blazing anger. "I could kill you here and now for your impudence," she growled out.

Anoki watched the exchange in bafflement wondering what this small human had done to invoke his cousin's ire.

"You could," agreed Miroku calmly, keeping his body relaxed and submissive in her grip. "But I will not leave until I have the chance to explain so if you wish to kill me then I suggest you do it." He stared straight into her eyes, letting her see the truth and determination in them.

Sesshoumaru released him. "Very well, I will hear your explanation. Excuse me cousin," she turned and left, Miroku following at her heels.

Anoki frowned at the look he had seen pass between his cousin and the monk, a stab of jealousy going through him. He followed quietly behind, standing just outside the doors of the room they had disappeared into.

Sesshoumaru turned and glared at the monk. Miroku swallowed now uncertain how to begin. He decided to just plunge right in. "Sesshoumaru, I'm sorry about what happened. I was a fool." He hung his head.

"Yes, you were," she stated. "Where is my brother?"

"Not here. I left them to find you, I had to tell you Sesshoumaru…I love you. I don't think I can go on without you. Please forgive me, I promise to make you happy if you'll give me another chance."

Sesshoumaru stared at him in shock but before she could give him her answer her cousin barged in through the door.

"Sesshoumaru, don't listen to this mortal. He cannot give you what I can. I love you as well. You will have to watch him grow old and die but I will always be with you. Don't go with him, I have loved you since that day in the doujou. You were all I thought about when I was in Europe. You were my inspiration to come home. I was worried about us both being male, I didn't know how you would react to my confession but I have to take this chance. Stay with me, cousin.

Sesshoumaru plopped down on the chair that was behind her, for the first time in her life completely flummoxed and speechless, at a loss of what to do. Her two suitors were staring at each other with animosity.

"Anoki, is it?" Miroku questioned. "I will not be pushed away and I think I know Sesshoumaru better than you do, in fact I'm sure of it." The monk glared at the taller demon, feeling emboldened by his knowledge that Anoki did not know Sesshoumaru's secret. He had no idea how long the dog demon had been here at the castle but for whatever reason, the demoness hadn't told him.

"Why do you come begging for forgiveness, human? Have you betrayed my cousin? And you are a monk, isn't this love of yours against your religious teachings? You seem untrustworthy to me," Anoki growled out, flexing his claws.

"That is none of your business," Miroku ground out, his face flushing from anger, gripping his staff tighter. The two males began to step towards each other.

"Stop, now!" Sesshoumaru ordered, finally awakening from the shock of what was happening. "You will not fight like beasts in my home." She stood to her full height which was even slightly taller than her cousin, staring them both down until they averted their eyes.

_Dear Kami, what do I do now? Do I give Miroku another chance? I do love him but can I trust that his feelings are true? And what of my cousin? I still have feelings for Anoki, feelings I did not even know existed until I saw him again, but he does not know I am female. Should I tell him?_ Sesshoumaru's thoughts swirled in a confused whirlwind in her mind.

"I need time to think, to process what you have said to me," she told the two men. "I will have Jaken set rooms up for you." Sesshoumaru rose and left the two men staring daggers at each other, relieved to get away from them and hopefully get some time to herself so she could decide what she was going to do.


	10. Sesshoumaru's Choice

Sorry guys this didn't get posted as soon as it should have, wouldn't allow me to update it, sorry for the wait.

Chapter 10: Sesshoumaru's Choice

"Why is this castle so popular all of a sudden?" Jaken grumbled letting Inuyasha, Kagome, Sango, Kirara, Shippou and Kohaku enter.

"What?" Inuyasha questioned.

"Nothing," grumped the toad. "Wait here, I'll tell my lord you're here." Jaken let out a long suffering sigh as he headed off to his masters study.

"Shippou," yelled Rin as she came into the room to see who had appeared today. She was happy to see it was her friend again. "Come play with Rin."

Shippou looked to Kagome who smiled. "Do you think it would be okay, Inuyasha?"

"I don't see why not, go ahead Shippou."

"You too, Kohaku, come with us," Rin invited the older boy cheerfully. Sango nodded, smiling as her brother ran off with the two younger kids.

"I think he's starting to come around, he's not so sad anymore," she said wistfully.

Kagome smiled at her friend, "I'm so happy, Sango. I'm sure we'll be able to figure out a way to get the shard and keep Kohaku with us.

They all looked up as Sesshoumaru entered the room. She was not wearing her normal attire, now she was dressed in a man's light yukata the same color as her eyes. It was tied with a deep green obi and had a small design of pink sakura blossoms along the edge of the sleeves. Rather than boots the demoness was wearing simple wooden geta on her feet. "Sesshoumaru, you look so…pretty," Kagome stated in awe.

"What do you want?" Sesshoumaru asked not unkindly, ignoring the compliment but secretly pleased by it.

"We're looking for Miroku," Inuyasha responded. "He took off a few days ago. I thought he might have ended up here."

"He is here. I have had a room prepared for him. I will have rooms made up for you as well," she told them calling to Jaken.

"Yes my lord, three more rooms," the toad replied, hurrying to do his lord's commands and grumbling under his breath at all the work this was making for him. "Jaken, get the rooms ready, Jaken, get the food ready. When did I become a maid?" he muttered quietly as he left. Sesshoumaru choose to ignore her disgruntled retainer for the moment promising herself she would have a few 'words' with him later.

Sango and Kagome had been curious as to why Inuyasha was so sure that Miroku would have gone to Sesshoumaru's castle and they gave each other quizzical looks now. Before they could ask anything a tall grey haired demon appeared.

"Looks like you have more guests," he stated looking over the group before him.

"This is Inuyasha, my brother and your cousin," Sesshoumaru told him causing Inuyasha and the girls to look at the inu demon with surprise and curiosity. "This girl is Kagome, the slayer is Sango. This is Anoki, son of Hisoka who was a cousin of our father," she introduced.

"Seems like we're having a family reunion," Anoki grinned. "I'm pleased to meet you cousin, he said to Inuyasha. The hanyou was surprised to meet another of his family, especially one that didn't say anything about him being a half-demon. He was also pleased that Sesshoumaru had introduced him as her brother and not her half-brother which she normally did.

"Uh, hi," he returned feeling a bit self conscious under the scrutiny of the elegant demon before him.

"Inuyasha, Kagome, Sango," Miroku called out, happy to see his friends but wondering why they were here. He came in and stood beside Sesshoumaru giving Anoki a glare. The demon frowned and turned his head from the human, stepping closer to Sesshoumaru.

The three friends shared confused looks at the sudden tension they felt in the room. Sesshoumaru gritted her teeth in annoyance at the two males. They had been driving her crazy with their rivalry and she had tried to avoid them as much as possible. "If you'll excuse me brother, I have a few things to finish but I will join you at dinner. Jaken will see you to your rooms."

She turned to leave and Anoki went to grab her arm to stop her. He pulled his hand away in surprise when all the latched onto was the long sleeve, he hadn't realized his cousin was missing a limb. Sesshoumaru gave him an icy glare. _My cousin has certainly changed since last I saw him, his eyes, they're so cold._ "My apologies, cousin, but I hope to speak to you."

"I also wish to speak to lord Sesshoumaru," stated Miroku, his hands fisting at his side. Anoki cast the human an angry glare.

"Later," Sesshoumaru growled out. She was irritated by the two men but also flattered by the attention she was receiving from them, something she never would have dreamed of before. She knew she was going to have to make a decision and again turned and walked out the door to go back to her study to ponder what she was going to do about the bizarre situation she found herself in. She hoped she would be able to think clearly, she could feel the signs from her body that her heat would be upon her soon.

Jaken soon came back into the silent room, passing his lord as he entered. Inuyasha, Kagome and Sango were looking from the demon to the monk as they stared each other down, neither one backing away. "My lord should throw you all out for disturbing him, come I'll take you to your rooms and show you the bath. Where did all those kids go?" he questioned irritably "They shouldn't be allowed to run all over the place." Jaken continued to grumble and complain until Inuyasha rapped him on the head with his knuckles, scowling mightily at the imp. Anoki had left to go elsewhere and Miroku followed his group to their rooms.

Sango pulled Miroku aside as Kagome and Inuyasha went to inspect their rooms. "What is going on, Miroku?" she asked.

"Well, uh…I…I want to court Sesshoumaru," he stuttered out. He was unsure of how Sango would take the news. They hadn't been more than friends really, although at one point they could have been more. Since Kohaku had joined them they had not had time to be together and had drifted apart. On his end, he was content just to be friends.

Sango looked a bit stunned but not upset. "Oh," she said. Sango gave the monk a grin, "you like her?"

"Yeah," he returned blushing. "Look., Sango…"

"It's okay." She knew what he was going to say and felt the same as the monk. She had her brother to consider right now so a romance was the last thing on her mind. Kohaku still had a long way to come before he would be able to forgive himself for the deaths of his family and fellow slayers. She was just glad that he had decided that he wanted to live. "We'll still be friends right?" she asked, smiling at her former crush.

"Of course, always," he replied, grinning himself now.

"Have you told Inuyasha?" she asked.

"Well, not really. I kind of made Sesshoumaru upset and he's sort of mad."

"I bet I know exactly what you did to get Sesshoumaru to punch you that day," Sango huffed, crossing her arms.

Miroku lowered his head. "I came here to make it up to her but that Anoki was here. He likes her too."

"And you're worried that she'll accept him and not you," Sango stated.

"Yeah," he returned quietly. Miroku couldn't think of any really good reason that Sesshoumaru would want to be with him. He was human and wouldn't live any where near as long as Anoki. Anoki was strong and handsome and could help her rule the western lands, and they seemed to share some past relationship that he knew nothing about. He was afraid that Sesshoumaru wouldn't forgive him for flirting with the village girl as well. He was hoping that he would get the chance to show the demoness that he had changed his ways.

Sango broke into his thoughts. "Just be yourself, Miroku," she told him putting her hand on his shoulder. "I'm sure she'll forgive you, but I'd suggest you change your wandering ways if you are serious about her." Sango smiled at him, giving him courage to keep trying and to not give up.

Sesshoumaru sat in her study in one of the plush chairs by the fireplace staring off into space with the beginnings of a headache tickling the back of her skull. She had come to a resolution as to who she wanted to be with but it had been a frightening decision. To give herself so wholly to someone was something she had never thought she would be able to do and she was still uncertain if she truly could do so. She had contained and denied her emotions for so long she was afraid she would not be able to show the love she felt in her heart for the one she had chosen. But she had decided to take the chance, even if she made mistakes and did end up getting hurt in the end. She heard the door creak open and the scent of her cousin wafted in the air. "Anoki, what are you doing here?"

"Sesshoumaru," he stated softly coming and kneeling on the floor in front of her. He reached out his hand and gently caressed his knuckles against her cheek.

She moved her face away and looked at her cousin. "There is much you do not know of me, Anoki."

"Tell me then, there is nothing you could say that would change my mind. I loved you when were children, I love you now, my heart will not change," he told her seriously.

"I am not who you think I am and I cannot tell you the truth." She tried to look unconcerned at the slight hurt she saw reflected in his eyes but could not. She leaned forward looking directly into his eyes, "What we had was a long time ago and it is precious to me but I cannot live in the past. Our time is done, cut short by circumstances we could not control. I have chosen Miroku," she stated.

"Are you sure of this?" Anoki questioned incredibly. "He is mortal, you know our kind mate for life. It will destroy you when he dies. Also, human love is often fickle; he could leave you at anytime, they do not share our loyalty. I can offer you so much more, please reconsider." Anoki took her hand in his, gently rubbing his thumb over the long fingers.

Sesshoumaru ignored the pleasant sensation and slowly pulled her hand from his. "I have made my choice," she stated firmly. She closed the short distance between them and gave her cousin a soft kiss goodbye. Miroku who had just cracked the door open at that exact moment to see if she was in the room felt his heart break. He closed the door behind him softly and went in search of his friends.

"I am sorry, Anoki," Sesshoumaru whispered as she sat back in the chair.

"I am too," he replied, standing and leaving her alone in the room._ But I won't give up, Sesshoumaru. His lifespan is but a small time, I will return for you._

Sesshoumaru's head was feeling much better now that she had made up her mind. She smiled and then stood to go find Miroku.


	11. Miroku Gets His Wish

**WARNING: This chapter contains a lemon and is meant for mature readers.**

Chapter 11: Miroku Gets His Wish

"What do you mean you want to leave? I thought you just got here?" Inuyasha grumbled. Miroku had finally broken down and apologized to the hanyou and told him the reason he left to go seek out his sister. Inuyasha hadn't been totally surprised; he kind of had an idea that the two of them liked each other.

"I made a mistake in coming here, I'm sorry, Inuyasha for what I did. I never meant to hurt Sesshoumaru or to anger you but she doesn't want me. I saw her kissing Anoki," he told his hanyou friend as he bowed his head.

"Anoki?" Inuyasha questioned, frowning. "Look all I know is that Sesshoumaru was the happiest I've ever seen her when she was with you. Are you sure you haven't misunderstood?" he asked.

"No," Miroku replied glumly.

"Well I'll go get the girls and Shippou and we'll leave then if you're sure, but I'm going to say goodbye to my sister," Inuyasha informed him.

Miroku nodded, "I'm going to go now. You guys can catch up with me?" he asked.

"Yeah, but you should talk to Sesshoumaru, you could be wrong about what you saw."

"I'm not mistaken, this is best." Miroku turned and walked down the stairs and towards the door. He was just opening it to step outside when Anoki stopped him.

"You've won for now, human, but you better be a good mate for my cousin. I will track you down if you ever hurt him," he threatened cracking his claws and letting his yellow poison show at his fingers for added effect.

Miroku looked at him in total confusion. _What did he just say? Me? I'm Sesshoumaru's mate?_

"Why look so surprised? Sesshoumaru has chosen you. Don't tell me you haven't spoken to him, or are you just playing games with me?"

"N-no, I haven't seen Sesshoumaru-sama yet," Miroku stammered shutting the door, his heart beating loudly in his ears.

Anoki grabbed the monk by the front of his robes, "I have not given up monk, if you do anything to disgrace my cousin, I will return and take him from you." The dog demon grinned. "Besides, I can wait until you die, I'll still be here well after you're gone."

"Anoki, release him," Sesshoumaru ordered from just behind her cousins back.

Anoki dropped Miroku's robes and turned with a smile upon his face, "We were just having a friendly chat, weren't we Miroku?"

"Uh…yeah, there's no problem Sesshoumaru."

The demoness didn't look like she believed a word of it. "I think you have overstayed your welcome," she told her cousin coldly.

"I will keep in touch," he returned bowing, giving the monk a knowing glance. He then walked out the door closing it gently behind him. Sesshoumaru and Miroku stood looking at each other and an uncomfortable silence descended between them. They both started to speak at once.

"I'm sorry," Miroku bowed. "You first."

"I am willing to give you another chance," Sesshoumaru stated.

Miroku grinned. "You won't regret it Sesshoumaru, I promise."

"I will hold you to that promise." She stepped closer to him like a moth to a flame, she was entranced with the look in his eyes.

Miroku didn't need much prodding and he soon had her in his arms, kissing her deeply causing her stone like composure to crumble beneath his lips and searching tongue.

Neither noticed the group that had entered the hallway and were now staring at them. Kagome, Inuyasha, Shippou, Kohaku and Sango turned to go back to their rooms, leaving the couple in their heated embrace. _Guess I don't need to say goodbye after all,_ Inuyasha thought with a shake of his head, vowing to have a man to man talk with his friend in the very near future.

They parted slowly, both breathing just a bit faster. "Come with me," Sesshoumaru said heading to the stairs and to her room. Miroku followed behind, grinning from ear to ear.

Sesshoumaru had the fleeting thought that she should not do this now that she was in her first day of her heat but then immediately forgot her misgivings when she heard her door close behind the monk and his arms encircle her from behind. The heat from his body transferred though their clothing making her turn and embrace him, their lips locking together in needy passion.

By the time the two of them had stumbled to the futon and fell down side by side into the soft covers they were both naked, their clothing strewn on the floor in a trail to the bed.

Miroku caressed his hand over the center of her belly causing Sesshoumaru to gasp at the warm flush she felt creeping over her skin from the sudden pressure. He brushed his lips gently against hers and then pressed more firmly against her mouth. The before unfelt sensations of hands on her body caused Sesshoumaru to pull away from him, gasping in sudden nervousness.

"We don't have to do this," he stated gently stilling his explorations, understanding her sudden reluctance.

Sesshoumaru blushed hotly in embarrassment at her own awkwardness. Was she not taiyoukai of all the western lands? She had faced strong enemies in battle without fear so why did this human male cause her to tremble with only the touch of his hands and lips. "No, I wish to continue," she answered.

Miroku caught her hand in his and held it between them, crushing their lips together in a feverent kiss. She opened her mouth and he deepened the kiss, his tongue caressing against hers, their fingers still entwined. His lips left hers to trace kisses along the edge of her jaw causing Sesshoumaru to shudder as she felt him nibble his way along the graceful curve of her neck to the shallow dip where her collarbones met.

Miroku snaked his tongue along the bone to her shoulder loving the heat he could feel seeping from her skin to surround him. He heard her moan breathily and returned to her lips with a feverish onslaught of lip and tongue, swallowing her soft moans into himself. He let go of her hand and brushed his thumb against the darkening marks on her cheek, smiling at her the whole time as he moved his hand slowly down her neck to her chest.

His fingers felt so cool against her hot skin as he continued lower, tracing the sharp flare of her hip up to her waist, moving back up to caress the side of her breast. He stifled her moan with another kiss. His fingers swept teasingly over her nipple before moving to rest on the flat muscles of her abdomen. She shivered as he lazily slid his hand up her body to caress the space between her breasts before moving to her neck again.

Tendrils of pleasure swept along her spine accumulating in a throbbing pulse between her legs. Allowing her long suppressed emotions to take control of her, she began to tentively explore his body, gaining confidence at hearing his groans of pleasure as she stroked her palm and fingers over his chest, shoulder, back and buttocks.

Miroku touched the stump of her left arm gingerly and she allowed him to explore the scars there, trusting him with what she considered her only physical flaw. She pulled herself closer and kissed his chest gently allowing her fangs to graze the base of his throat and move higher. He moved his head to allow her better access revelling in the feel of her lips, teeth and tongue as she traced her way to his pulse point which was pounding feverishly beneath his skin. She nibbled along the edge of his jaw as he had done to her until she reached his ear where she playfully tugged at the lobe with her teeth before putting it in her mouth and sucking gently on it.

Miroku gasped at the feel of her sucking on his ear, his manhood enlarging to its fullness against her thigh. Now it was her turn to gasp as she felt him press the hardness of himself against her, the heat of his bare skin against hers felt scorching. He began to explore her face with his fingers, watching her reactions to his touch. He caressed her lovingly, lingering on the delicate curve of her cheekbones, her brow, the bridge of her nose, her lips. He traced the outline of the blue crescent on her forehead and the twin stripes on her cheeks, watching as magenta turned to brick red. He even ran his thumb over her red eyelids. "You're so beautiful," he sighed out before capturing her lips yet again in a kiss.

She did not hide the desire she felt that was fuelled by years of carefully guarded longing. To be seen as she was and be loved as a woman was her deepest secret wish and she returned his kiss with animal fervour.

Miroku ended their kiss moving over her on his hands and knees, coaxing her to lie on her back beneath him. He leaned down until his lips reached her chest letting his mouth close gently over the raised nipple of her breast, sucking slowly and reverently.

Sesshoumaru gasped and arched up towards him, digging her claws into his hair, careful not to break the skin on his scalp, as her eyes rolled back into her head at the dizzying sensation of pleasure. She moaned throatily as he slid his tongue languidly over her nipple and the underside of her breast before moving to the other to lavish it with the same attention. She felt as if her heart was going to pound out of her chest and the throbbing in her womanhood had intensified to a near maddening level.

He sat back on his knees looking down at her with that smile that made her heart catch in her throat. She swallowed as he slipped his hands between her knees and slowly spread them apart, letting his hands run down to caress her quaking inner thighs. He positioned himself between her spread legs, running his tongue and lips up her belly, dropping kisses over her breast, into the hollow of her neck, up her chin and onto her mouth. He moved closer, shifting more of his weight onto her and she felt something pressing against the folds of her aching womanhood, the sensation both odd and welcome at the same time. He moved his hips against her more firmly and she felt a hot pressure begin to fill her. She gripped him around the neck with her arm, closing her eyes firmly as he entered her.

She gasped out in surprise when she felt the pleasant pressure begin to change into pain. Had her mother been right about this after all? She held her breath and he continued to push deeper into her and then bit her lower lip to stifle the cry that wanted to break forth when she felt a sharp pain followed by a burning sensation.

Miroku stopped moving as he felt her inner muscles clamp down hard and looked at her with concern. "Are you alright? Do you want me to stop?" he whispered.

"No, I was just surprised," she returned, not willing to show or give into the fear she was beginning to feel. She had endured worse pain than this and she wanted to please Miroku, she would allow him to continue.

"It will feel better for you in a few moments," he told her with that smile; always that smile. "Relax, okay?"

Sesshoumaru nodded and Miroku slid in a little deeper before setting up a slow pace until he felt her wrap her legs around his waist, locking her ankles behind him. She still felt a bit of the burning pain but it was quickly dissolving into a teasing warmth that was spreading up into her stomach. He picked up the pace, a low moan breaking from between his lips at the feel of her tightness surrounding him, his skin shivering as she traced her claws down his back making goosebumps rise in their wake.

She began to arch and thrust up against him as he began to move faster and harder both of them becoming frenzied as the pleasure coursed through their entwined bodies, the erotic feelings intensifying with each thrust. Sesshoumaru groaned out loudly as her body exploded in ecstasy of such extreme bliss that she thought she must have died and gone to heaven. She gripped him tightly, gasping out his name as wave after wave of pleasure crashed over her.

Miroku's thrusts became more intense, his breathing coming in ragged gasps until he too cried out as his own orgasm hit him and he released his hot seed deep inside her. He collapsed against her with a final shudder, kissing her lips and cheeks and then rolling off of her to lie beside her. He pulled her to him and she rested her head on his shoulder, purring quietly as he ran his fingers though her hair.

"I want to stay with you Sesshoumaru, I want you to become my wife," he told her, turning his head so he could look into her eyes.

She looked into his purple irises seeing the love he had for her. It was humbling to her but she still needed to protect her secret. Almost as if he knew what she was thinking he said, "Of course, we would have to wed in secrecy. You could tell others that I am nothing more than a spiritual advisor or some such thing."

"I would have to think about this," she returned. "I do want you as my mate but we do not need a human ceremony to accomplish this."

"That may be so, but I am human and would like to honour my human traditions. It is important to me," he told her, sitting up to look down at her seriously.

This was more than Sesshoumaru had ever dreamed of; to have a mate to share her life with was something she had felt would always be unattainable. She smiled at him and reached out to pull him back down on the futon. "Very well, if that is your wish," she sighed as he again wrapped her in his arms.

"You accept my proposal?" he asked happily.

"Yes, now go to sleep," she teased, letting her eyes close as the drowsiness of afterglow caught up with her.

"You will bear my children?" he questioned her, letting a yawn escape his mouth.

"Yes, as many as you want." Having pups was another dream that she knew could now become reality and she snuggled closer to his warmth in blissful contentment, pulling the covers over them and allowing sleep to claim her, letting all the pain and misery of her past go as well.

Miroku kissed her temple gently, happier than he had ever felt in his life. He was soon breathing deeply beside her.


	12. Miroku Gets His Wish Part 2

Chapter 12: Miroku Gets His Wish Part 2

Inuyasha was furious and he grabbed the monk and spun him around when he found him in the garden talking to Kohaku. "What are you going to do about this?" he demanded, snarling into Miroku's face.

"What are you talking about?" Miroku questioned a bit fearfully. He had no idea what had gotten the hanyou so worked up.

"Are you serious about my sister?" Inuyasha retorted his face flushing red.

"Yes, yes, what is all this about?" Miroku tried to wriggle out of Inuyasha's grasp.

"She's pregnant, and I assume you're the father," he spat out, finally letting go of the human.

Miroku looked at him in stunned silence before sitting down with a thump on the bench beside the flowering bush. Kohaku stood staring at the two friends curious to see if Inuyasha was going to beat the living crap out of the monk, which it looked like he badly wanted to do.

A large grin began to sneak across the monk's face. "Really?" he questioned excitedly, forgetting the anger his hanyou friend was still displaying. "I'm going to be a father...but…how do you know, Sesshoumaru never said anything to me, it hasn't even been a month since…" he let the sentence trail off as he finally noticed how pissed Inuyasha was looking. He raised his hands, palm outwards towards the hanyou. "Listen I will do the honourable thing, I've already asked Sesshoumaru to become my wife, we just haven't picked a date as of yet."

"Well, get picking," Inuyasha returned, beginning to feel somewhat better about the situation. He was still standing, glaring down at the monk with his arms crossed in front of his chest when Sesshoumaru appeared.

"Inuyasha, do not threaten my fiancée," she intoned a bit irritably. She assumed from the look of things that her brother had opened his big mouth before she had had a chance to talk to Miroku.

She had known within a couple of weeks that she had become pregnant, her scent had changed and the heat she should have had, had been almost non-existent. She had been concerned at how to approach the subject as they were in the very beginnings of their relationship and she was nervous as to how Miroku would react.

Another worry was that she certainly couldn't stay here to have the pup. It wouldn't be safe if others found out they had been ruled over by a female and she knew other lords would attempt to take over her lands, not accepting a human lord either as ruler. She had just recently thought of a solution but her overly protective brother had spilled the beans.

There were days that she wished Inuyasha had never found out about her and that he would just leave her in peace. She had come to love the hanyou deeply but she found him more annoying than Jaken at times, this being one of those times.

She had no need to worry about Miroku who was absolutely overjoyed at the news. He leapt up from the bench rushing to Sesshoumaru and taking her arm. "You should sit and rest," he fussed trying to get her to sit on the bench he had just left. "You're in a delicate condition and shouldn't tax yourself."

"I am not a weak ningen," she responded glaring at her brother and pulling her arm away from Miroku.

Inuyasha uncrossed his arms and lowered his eyes. _Oops, I guess I should have waited for her to tell him._ "Well, maybe I should go now," he said nervously, trying to back towards the path to the castle.

"No, you will stay here," Sesshoumaru ordered. "I have something that you will have to do." Inuyasha looked at her quizzically waiting for her to continue. "You are going to be me," she stated matter of factly.

"What? What do you mean I'm going to be you?"

"I cannot have the pup here, too many would find out about me. I intend to have the child elsewhere; you will remain here and take my place so as not to cause suspicion at my absence from the lands for such a long period of time."

"I can't be you," Inuyasha proclaimed. "All anyone had to do is look at me and see I'm not you."

"We are not that dissimilar. You are somewhat shorter and we'll have to do something about those ears but I believe we can disguise you well enough. I will instruct you in how to mimic me and Jaken will stay with you to offer his assistance and instruction until I return."

"Sesshoumaru, there is no way I can do this. I don't know how to run a kingdom and what do you mean do something with my ears?"

"You will do this," Sesshoumaru growled out. "Think of it as practice. If something were to ever happen to me, you would be the next lord. It is time you grew up and learned of your heritage. Father thought well enough of you to safe your miserable life, this is the least you can do in repayment," the demoness ground out.

Inuyasha swallowed nervously. Sesshoumaru may have been female but she was still the most powerful demon around and at the moment she was an angry powerful demon. Besides, Inuyasha had wanted to learn of his father's life and history. "Will Jaken really stay and help me?" he questioned.

"Yes, he will obey my orders and you can keep your friends with you as well if you wish, except for the miko, she will accompany me."

"And me," stated Miroku firmly, stepping forward to take Sesshoumaru's hand.

She gave him a brief smile. "And you," she returned softening her voice.

"Why Kagome? Why can't she stay here?" Inuyasha questioned.

"I need someone to aid me during the birth, I trust her," Sesshoumaru stated blandly, completely flooring the two men. They had no idea that the demoness felt anything towards the younger girl. Even though Sesshoumaru had not shown animosity towards the teen, neither had she been affectionate or friendly even though Kagome had tried on many occasions to befriend her.

Sesshoumaru actually liked Kagome quite a bit but found it hard to show her true feelings. Holding her emotions in check had been too ingrained into her to change now. "I will protect your miko, brother, have no fear of that."

"I'm not worried about that, and who says she's my miko?" he questioned feeling flustered.

Sesshoumaru raised her eyebrow at him wondering if he really was as stupid as he acted half the time. She decided to let it drop. "I will begin your instruction tomorrow. We should have a few months to get you prepared before I will have to leave."

"Where are we going to go?" Miroku asked.

"We will go far to the east where I am not as well known. I intend to be disguised as well so no one will recognize me."

Inuyasha had his doubts as to how they were going to hide his sisters identity but he could see she had made up her mind and nothing was going to dissuade her from doing what she felt she had to do. _Well I guess she's had a secret identity all these years, I suppose what's another one._


	13. Perfecting The Deception

Chapter 13: Perfecting the Deception

"Inuyasha," Sesshoumaru sighed out in frustration. "You are still not doing it correctly. You are walking around like an ape. I do not move like that. Watch again." The demoness walked back and forth a few more times in front of her brother. "Do it again," she commanded as she sat back down.

"Damn it Sesshoumaru, I'm getting tired. We've been at this for over two hours. Can't we take a break?" the hanyou complained.

"We will take a break when you do it correctly. We share the same blood; surely it cannot be that difficult to imitate me. You cannot be totally graceless." _Or maybe you can be,_ the demoness thought to herself in mild irritation. A headache was beginning to just make itself known and she was sure her brother was never going to be able to do it when finally he walked by her perfectly. He had a scowl on his face, still showing far too much emotion but at least he had her movements copied.

Inuyasha walked around a bit longer until his sister was satisfied that he was moving the same as she would. "Are you happy? Can I go now?" he grumbled.

Sesshoumaru nodded her head. "Tomorrow we will practice again and we will adjust my clothing to fit you as well. Do not forget to see Jaken later this afternoon." The toad had been working on bringing the hanyou up to date on what was going on in the western lands so he would be better prepared to deal with things during Sesshoumaru's absence.

"Yeah, yeah," he said as he left the room. She was gratified to see that he was still copying her walk. As soon as he had left, Sesshoumaru rose from the chair and slid the door back that led outside. She walked into a wooded area and vomited._ Why is it called morning sickness when I am not sick in the morning?_ she moaned to herself as she held the side of the tree for support. It had been close that time, at one point she was afraid she was going to be sick in front of Inuyasha.

She returned to the room she had left and sat back down, feeling very tired and weepy. She closed her eyes and began to meditate to gain control over her emotions. She had been doing very well in not allowing her internal struggle to show outwardly to the others but it was becoming more difficult to control these massive mood swings that had begun to plague her as time went on. Sometimes she felt energetic and happy; other times she would have the urge to kill someone. The worst time for her was when she wanted to burst into tears over absolutely nothing, such as now.

She placed her hand over her just swelling belly and continued to breathe steadily and slowly until she felt ready to leave and join the others. "Should we see if your father had returned, little one?" she questioned as she headed down the hallway.

Miroku had gone to Totosai's to pick up the sword that was a perfect copy of the Toukijin, although it had no demonic powers. The day was quickly approaching when she would have to leave and everything had to be in place by then.

"Sesshoumaru-sama," a joyous young voice cried out. "How is the puppy today?" This was something the small girl asked daily.

Sesshoumaru gave the little girl a small smile. "Fine Rin," she told her taking the child's hand in her own. Sesshoumaru had decided to take Rin with them when Miroku, Kagome and herself left. Although it would have aided her brother's deception to have the child with him, she was so used to her adopted daughter's presence she didn't think she could stand to be that long without the happy girl.

"Master Jaken has your new clothes ready; do you want to see them?" Rin asked excitedly. She was so glad that she would be able to stay with her Sesshoumaru-sama and that she would get to see the puppy when it was born that Rin didn't care if the demon lord was male or female. To Rin, Sesshoumaru-sama was Sesshoumaru-sama no matter what.

"Yes, I would like to see them," she said as she allowed the human girl to lead her in the direction of her room. Jaken had laid out many outfits on the futon and they were all beautiful, too beautiful. Sesshoumaru sighed as she ran her fingers over the brightly colored fabric. These were items she had longed to wear, lovely women's silk kimonos with large wide obis and many layers.

"Don't you like them, Sesshoumaru-sama?"

"I do, Rin but they will attract too much attention to us. I need to have something plainer." She called for Jaken and requested garments that would be more suited to a peasant woman. Jaken did not feel that clothing like that would be befitting for his master but relented under Sesshoumaru's glare. He was picking up the kimono's to take them away when the demoness stopped him. "You can leave that one," she told him picking out a simple pale green kimono with blossoming pink sakura branches embroidered all along the bottom of it and the sides of the sleeves. It had two other under layers, one white - one mauve with a wide mauve obi for the waist.

Rin giggled and bounced up and down on the futon after Jaken had left waiting for Sesshoumaru to come out from behind the screen. When the demoness did appear the little girl sat stock still on the bed, her brown eyes round and wide in awe. "Sesshoumaru-sama, you are the most beautiful hime in the world," she whispered.

Sesshoumaru blushed. "I would not call me a princess." She turned to look at herself in the mirror and was surprised at the woman that looked back at her from the other side of the glass. _I look like…mother,_ she thought in shock. The demoness had always thought her mother beautiful even if the woman had been cruel. "I think I will keep this one, what do you think Rin?" she asked the small child, turning to see herself from all angles.

"Oh yes, you look so pretty, keep it, keep it," the little girl cried, jumping up and down again, smiling hugely.

There was a knock on the door just as Sesshoumaru was going to go back behind the screen to change out of the lovely kimono. "Enter," she called out.

Kagome walked in carrying many small boxes in her arms. The human girl had gone back to her time to gather some supplies to further aid in Sesshoumaru's disguise. The miko teen stopped and stared, her mouth gaping open.

"Are you just going to stare?" Sesshoumaru asked her beginning to feel uncomfortable.

"Sesshoumaru, you look…you look…if Miroku saw you now he'd die," she finished, grinning at the lovely woman before her. "Oh, I brought three boxes of hair color and some colored contacts," Kagome told the demoness showing her the boxes. She had also brought some make-up to cover Sesshoumaru's markings and to create those same markings on Inuyasha.

Sesshoumaru wasn't sure what contacts were, she was always curious as to the girls home in the future. The others had told the demon lord where the miko girl was from a couple of months ago and she had listened intently to anything Kagome told her of that future time and its marvellous inventions.

"Are you sure you want to color your hair black though?" Kagome questioned, not really wanting to cover up the lovely white hair of the demoness that reminded her of Inuyasha's, even if it was only semi-permanent coloring.

"Yes, and I believe I will cut it as well."

"What? No Sesshoumaru, it will take so long to grow back," Kagome cried out.

"Be calm. It is only hair after all."

"Let me put it up for you, when we're done nobody will ever know you're a demon. Please don't cut it." Sesshoumaru relented when Rin became upset as well, begging her lord to leave it long.

Kagome gave Sesshoumaru a preview of what she would look like without her demon markings showing, teaching the demoness how to apply the make-up correctly and how to put in the contacts that would turn her eyes brown. The teen girl pulled up the white hair in a fancy bun, allowing some of the hair to fall forward and hide the tips of her ears. Checking the mirror again Sesshoumaru could see that once her hair had been dyed black she would look every bit a human female, the perfect disguise.

"Now we just have to disguise my brother so well," Sesshoumaru told Kagome as she went behind the screen to change back to her clothing and remove the make-up and contacts.

"I'm pretty sure we can pin his ears down. It might be a bit uncomfortable for him but I think he can handle it," Kagome informed the demon lord. "His hair will be able to cover them then and no one will ever see them." _To bad he can't just wear a ball cap like in my era._

"That is a relief, I was beginning to think we would have to cut them off," Sesshoumaru returned from behind the screen.

Kagome's eyes opened in shock until she heard Rin giggling, realizing that Sesshoumaru had been joking. "How has he been doing with his training?" she asked.

"Better, he still shows far too much emotion but I am confident he will be able to emulate me enough to pass, especially with Jaken here to help him," the demoness replied as she came out from behind the screen wearing a plain grey men's kimono. "Did Miroku get back with the sword?"

"Not yet, I'm sure he's not too far away though," Kagome returned.

Sesshoumaru put her hand over her stomach and gave a gasp. Kagome rose and was by her side in a moment. "Sesshoumaru, what's wrong?" she asked worriedly.

"Nothing, just a little pain. Everything is fine."

"Maybe you should sit down for a moment. You shouldn't overdo it."

Sesshoumaru let out an irritated growl. "You sound like Inuyasha and Miroku," she grumbled but she did sit on the futon. The pain had not been bad, just a short stab, feeling more like a pulled muscle than anything. It had just caught Sesshoumaru by surprise. She waited to make sure the sensation would not repeat itself and then rose. "Well I have other things to attend to. I will speak to you again later."

"Are you sure you're okay?" Kagome asked again, worried for the demoness.

"Yes, do not fuss so. Rin you may go play until dinner." The little girl hopped off the futon where she had been sitting and bowed to the two women then ran out of the room singing happily. Kagome went off to find Inuyasha to show him how to use the make-up to apply Sesshoumaru's markings while Sesshoumaru went off to her study to finish some of the paper work she had been putting off. She was quite confident in their plan and was looking forward to spending some time with Miroku when he got back. She still had to finalize some of the wedding preparations as well and she had a pleasant smile on her face as she began to tackle her work.


	14. A Wedding and Goodbye

Chapter 14: A Wedding and Goodbye

Sesshoumaru and the others stopped just outside Kaede's village so the demoness could get into her disguise. She had left her castle as she normally appeared to make their way here for the wedding, stopping now so she could change so as to not alert the villagers as to who she was. She was now almost five months along, still able to hide her condition for the moment but it wouldn't be much longer when she would no longer be able to do so.

Inuyasha would take on her persona after the ceremony to make his way back to the castle with Jaken and Shippou while Miroku, Rin, Kagome and her left to go east. Sango, Kohaku and Kirara decided they would stay at the village so as not to raise suspicion. Shippou had had the perfect solution to Rin's leaving, he was going to take her place when needed seeing as he could transform and trick others into believing he was her with his fox magic.

Kagome, Sango, Rin and Sesshoumaru left the others to go further into the forest where the hotspring was. Miroku kept pacing back and forth waiting for her to come back. This would be the first time everyone would see Sesshoumaru in her disguised form except for Kagome. All they had to do now was color the demon lord's long hair.

"Nervous, monk?" Inuyasha teased.

"Not at all," Miroku lied. He was already dressed in an elegant black kimono with a white under layer and grey hakama pants that Jaken had procured for him.

Inuyasha snorted at his friend watching as Miroku kept nervously picking at the edges of the long sleeves. "Well, say goodbye to your bachelorhood." He grinned as the monk picked up his pacing steps, a drop of sweat beginning to appear on his temple.

"What's taking so long?" Miroku asked after thirty minutes had passed.

"Sit down, will ya," Inuyasha complained. "You're going to wear a trench in the ground. Kagome said it could take awhile."

A few moments later the girls returned. Sango, Rin and Kagome had already changed into their more formal kimonos but had not allowed Sesshoumaru to wear the shiro-maku yet. The long white wedding kimono would be difficult for Sesshoumaru to walk in without help and Kagome had told the demoness it would be bad luck for Miroku to see her in it too soon before the wedding.

Sesshoumaru had been dubious of the superstition but decided to wait until they reached the village. The girls had put up her now black hair in the bunkintakashimada, the traditional style of the bride which worked very well to hide her pointed ears. Her demonic markings were now hidden under the make-up Kagome had applied except for her eyelids which would be fine, only looking like eye shadow anyways.

With the contacts in place turning her gold eyes to brown, Sesshoumaru looked every bit a human woman. Inuyasha would never have recognized his sister in a million years if it wasn't for her scent. The four boys and Jaken stood staring at the undeniably beautiful female that was Sesshoumaru.

"What do you think?" Kagome asked excitedly.

"Wow," breathed Miroku coming to Sesshoumaru's side and taking her hand. He stood staring at her making the demoness blush prettily.

"Are you sure that's Sesshoumaru?" questioned Inuyasha, his mouth agape. He could not believe how utterly feminine his sibling looked. Even when he had found out that Sesshoumaru was female he had had a hard time seeing her as anything but masculine.

"Who else would I be, do not be stupid," Sesshoumaru returned, feeling very self conscious and wishing everyone would stop gawking at her. She got a chance to vent her aggravation when Jaken came to her teary eyed saying how lovely she was. She gave him a clout over the head and turned to walk towards the village, Rin running in circles around her and Miroku who was walking beside her.

"We should stay overnight in the village. The new moon is out tonight isn't it?" Sango mentioned. Everyone had almost forgotten that Inuyasha would be human for the night with all the excitement of the wedding.

It had been decided that Kaede would oversee the ceremony although Mushin would chant the sutras before the meal to bless the newly weds. Neither the priestess nor the elder monk knew about Sesshoumaru, only being told that Miroku had met and fallen in love with a girl from another village in the west. They had even picked out a new name for the demoness to go with her new persona. She would now be known as Rumiko.

When they arrived, the girls quickly escorted Sesshoumaru into the hut to finish dressing while the boys headed over to the area that the wedding was going to be taking place at. The villagers had decorated an area beside a large tree and many were already in attendance excited at the prospect of a wedding.

"I thought we were going to keep this simple," Miroku said to Kaede.

The old miko just shrugged her shoulders and smiled. "Everyone is just excited to see your mystery bride," she told him. "It's quite a thing to see ye settle down," Kaede teased with a grin.

Miroku was suddenly grabbed and picked up bodily by Mushin who had just started in on the sake. "My boy, what a sad day. To see you tied down in the prime of your youth to one woman." He let the younger monk down and hugged him. Miroku embraced him back grinning at the teasing the older man was giving him.

"So where is your lovely bride?" Mushin asked looking around.

"Kagome and Sango are getting her ready, she'll be here soon," Miroku replied.

"Miroku-sama," Rin called out running towards him. "I brought this for you." The little girl handed him a small branch. This was the Tamagushi, a sprig of the sacred Sakai Tree, which would be offered at the ceremony.

"What is all this for?" questioned Sesshoumaru looking at the items the two girls had given her. She had been given a small purse called a hakoseko, a small encased sword called a kaiken and a fan, which Sango was tucking into the obi of her kimono.

"They're for good luck and a happy future," Sango told her, she took the hakoseko and kaiken from the demoness and tucked them into the folds of the kimono.

Sesshoumaru thought that all this ceremony and superstition was odd, demon mating was so much simpler, but she was curious about it and she wished to make Miroku happy. "I can barely move in this thing," she complained trying to walk in the shiro-maku.

Kagome giggled. "You'll manage, I've never known anyone as graceful as you so I'm sure you'll do just fine."

Pretty soon everyone was seated and ready to start. Miroku's heart almost stopped in his chest as Sesshoumaru appeared with Kagome's and Sango's aid. A hush fell over the crowd as the elegant and beautiful woman came forward. Many in the crowd were certain that she had to be a princess or certainly a lady of noble birth by the way she carried herself as she walked by.

Sesshoumaru was hiding her nervousness very well, keeping her face neutral as she carefully made her way to her husband to be. She had to take very small steps so as not to tred on the long wedding kimono and with the wataboshi on her head, she was finding it difficult to see anywhere other than straight ahead. She had not wanted to wear the wedding hood at first but the girls complained telling her it was tradition so she had relented. She was now regretting her decision about it. Her eyes softened as she looked upon her future mate, he was smiling so hugely and looking so handsome that she figured this small amount of discomfort was worth it.

Sesshoumaru stood beside Miroku and they both offered the Tamagushi to Kaede. Kaede passed them one of the three nuptial cups and instructed them to each take three sips of the sake from it, doing the same with the other two cups. Because Miroku had a Buddhist background, even though he was raised in a Shinto shrine, he had combined the traditions from both religions. Mushin now stepped forward and tied a gold cord around the fifth finger of each of them and then poured water over the knot, signifying the sharing of their lives. The old monk then chanted the sutras and gave Sesshoumaru a hug to welcome her into the family before he and Kaede declared to the crowd that Miroku and 'Rumiko' were now husband and wife. Everyone wished them a good life with many children and then began to eat all the wonderful food that the village women had prepared for the wedding feast. Sesshoumaru was glad to finally be able to take off the hood, being careful not to disturb her hair covering her ears as she lifted it off her head.

Sesshoumaru surprised herself, she had actually enjoyed the ceremony and was now looking at the food trying to find the one thing that she had been craving these last few weeks. Miroku was already on top of it and passed her a plate of cooked eel. "No raw eel?" she questioned a bit disappointed that it was cooked.

"Ugh, no," he responded, grimacing at the thought. "I don't know how you can eat that."

It actually had not been something that Sesshoumaru would have ever eaten but these cravings for it had broken down her resolve and now she found she just had to have it almost at the exclusion of anything else. "It is not so bad, want to try it?" she teased her new husband as they sat down.

"No thanks, you enjoy," he grinned back at her, placing his hand on her belly under the table so others wouldn't see.

Sesshoumaru leaned forward and nipped his ear, she had lately been getting other cravings and was looking forward to the marriage bed this evening. Miroku gave a shiver, a bit nervous as to what was going to happen later. The demoness had explained that for them to be mates in her tradition they would have to share blood and he was hoping it wasn't going to be too painful when she bit him with her sharp fangs.

Inuyasha, Kagome and the others joined them at their table, the hanyou welcoming his new brother in law into his family, clapping him on the back with a big grin on his face. The group sat and chatted watching as the kids all ran around having fun and getting into trouble.

Sesshoumaru and Miroku slipped off during the festivities to the private hut the villagers had readied for them, the demoness seducing the monk easily with unspoken promises of pleasure. Inuyasha soon followed, making his way to Kaede's hut before the sun went down, Kagome, Shippou and Rin walking with him. The others stayed behind at the party, Sango keeping an eye on the very drunk older monk and toad demon as they argued in slurred tones back and forth about something or another, both of them downing cup after cup of sake as if it was water.

"That was a nice wedding," Kagome sighed as she tucked in Rin and Shippou. The two kids were fairly exhausted from all the activity of the day and were soon asleep.

"I'm surprised that Sesshoumaru even agreed to go through with it," he answered, "she must really love that lecherous monk."

"Inuyasha, be nice. He is part of your family now," Kagome admonished sitting down beside the hanyou as he turned human. The teen girl gave a little gasp and stared at the human boy.

"What?" Inuyasha questioned.

"It's just…you and Sesshoumaru…look so much alike now," she said with wonder. The similarities between the two siblings were quite striking now that both of them looked human, more so than when they were in their normal forms.

"You think I look like a girl?" Inuyasha asked a bit huffily.

"No, no I just meant you can really tell you're related. You're really going to be able to fool everyone when you dress up like Sesshoumaru." Kagome giggled when Inuyasha made a face that looked so much like his sisters disdainful glare that he had pretty well proven her point.

"Sesshoumaru, no more, a man can only do so much," Miroku groaned, not wanting to believe that he had met his match in the bedroom. He lay on the futon spread eagled and breathing hard.

Sesshoumaru grinned and stopped her teasing, purring deeply within her chest and snuggled up beside her naked mate. For the first time in her life totally letting down all her defences and allowing someone to see who she really was. No one other than her mate would ever see her this way. All others would only know the cold lord of the west and not the warm, caring woman that had been hiding for so many years behind the guise of a man. Even Inuyasha had only seen a small part of what she was.

The sun would be coming up soon so she decided to let her human get some sleep. She actually had been quite impressed with Miroku's stamina and she gently kissed the area at the base of his neck where she had taken his blood and marked him before resting her head on his chest. She had used the small sword that Sango had given her earlier to cut her own neck to allow the monk to partake of her blood. Now according to both human and demon traditions they were mated for life.

Miroku sighed in total contentment. Usually it was him that was left not totally satisfied, his past women unable to continue on with the love making as long as he would have liked. Not so with his quick learning wife, she would make a nymphomaniac look like a virgin. He wrapped his arms around Sesshoumaru and held her close as he began to drift off.

Morning came too soon and Miroku groggily got up when Inuyasha came in and literally dragged him out of bed. "Sesshoumaru's already up and waiting," the hanyou told his brother in law. The half demon grinned broadly, "gave you quite a night did she?"

Miroku blushed, throwing a pillow at his friend and now family member. He started to dress himself, his muscles stiff and slightly sore causing Inuyasha to laugh teasingly at his discomfort. "I'll be right there, now get out," the monk grumped throwing another pillow.

When Miroku came out the entire group made their way into the forest and watched as Inuyasha transformed himself into the lord of the west. "Do not slip up and let anyone see your left arm," admonished Sesshoumaru.

"I'm not stupid you know," Inuyasha grumbled back at his sister as he put the Tetsusaiga and the fake Toukijin into the yellow and blue obi. "Man this armour is heavy, how do you ever walk around with it all the time?"

"You will get used to it, I told you to practice more with it." Sesshoumaru then grudgingly passed over her long boa. "Take good care of this," she demanded seriously. "It is precious to me."

Inuyasha folded it over his right shoulder. "I will, don't worry," he returned.

Kagome put the finishing touches on the makeup on his face while Sango brushed his unruly hair flat, pinning his ears down under the white tresses. They all stood back to look at the finished results. Sesshoumaru was astonished at how much her hanyou brother looked like her, she had not been expecting the transformation to be so convincing. Inuyasha put on his sister's characteristic uncaring visage completing the illusion.

"Well I guess this is it then," Kagome stated, beginning to feel sad that she would have to leave Inuyasha. The hanyou too, gave the girl who had been at his side almost constantly a long look.

"It's only for a few months, the time will fly by and you guys will be together again," Miroku announced with a smile, watching his two friends.

"I know that," Inuyasha blushed. Kagome face also went pink and the two teens looked away from each other.

"It is time we should be leaving," stated Sesshoumaru.

"Take care of my sister and my soon to be nephew," Inuyasha ordered Miroku.

"Or niece," stated Sesshoumaru, "and worry about the western lands, they better still be there when I return."

Inuyasha grinned when he realized his sister was teasing him. "Jaken," he commanded in a perfect imitation of Sesshoumaru's regal tone. "It is time to leave."

The toad jumped just as he would have done had the real Sesshoumaru commanded him. "Yes, my lord." he replied and then scowled when he realized that he had given the hanyou the respect he would have shown his master.

The two groups parted after promising each other to keep in touch. It was going to be a long few months.


	15. Anoki Returns

Chapter 15: Anoki Returns

"You can't do that," Jaken grumbled at Inuyasha as the hanyou scratched his ears that he had let loose from their pinnings.

"What do you mean I can't do that?" the hanyou shot back giving the toad a glare. Jaken had been driving him crazy with all the rules he imposed on him and Inuyasha was reaching his limit in dealing with the small imp.

"What if someone were to see you? Do you wish for your sister to have to fight every lord in the area when she returns?"

"No," Inuyasha sulked. He gave his ears one last rub to put the circulation back into them before folding them close to his head and pinning them back down.

"And you need to speak more formally," Jaken commanded. The toad checked the paper work in his hands. "I guess we're ready to go, I've got everything you'll need." Today they were going to tour the western lands and see to any problems the villages had.

"Come on, Shippou," Inuyasha called. "Time to change."

The small fox demon, in a puff of magic, transformed himself into the little girl Rin. Jaken brought him one of Rin's kimonos and Shippou made sure to hide his tail under the hem. "Ready, Lord Sesshoumaru," he grinned. He found it profoundly funny to see Inuyasha trying to imitate the demon lord, especially when he made a mistake and Jaken gave him grief over it.

Actually in the three weeks since he had taken his sisters place he had done very well. No one was the wiser and any slip-ups he made were in the privacy of his rooms. He had even made mistakes on purpose just to rile up the toad to get even with him for his constant nagging.

"Okay, let us go," Inuyasha stated regally which caused Jaken to roll his eyes and Shippou to giggle.

By the time they stopped for lunch in a quiet part of the forest between villages, Inuyasha was irritable and tired. "This is worse than helping people with their demon problems," he groused to Shippou. The small fox demon grunted in agreement. He was bored stiff from all the tedious work Inuyasha had had to do which left him just standing there by his 'lord'.

"We only have to stop in two more villages and then we're done for the time being," Jaken informed them.

"Does Sesshoumaru do this all the time?" Inuyasha questioned the toad. He was gaining insight into what it was like to be a lord and he decided his sister could have it.

"Yes. What did you think? That being a lord was all fun and games." Jaken was irritated with the hanyou and couldn't wait until Sesshoumaru returned so he wouldn't have to deal with her brother's constant complaining. "When we return to the castle you'll have to look over the land treaty from the Southern Lord. He'll be at the castle tomorrow for your decision on it."

"Damn, I forgot about that," Inuyasha returned as he frowned at the thought of dealing with the Southern Lord.

"Stop swearing," Jaken ordered. "Sesshoumaru-sama does not speak so vulgarly." The toad took a quick step back and ducked when Inuyasha swung his fist at him.

"I swear…" the hanyou muttered under his breath thinking of all the things he'd like to do to the toad.

Jaken gave a slight smirk of triumph, he had gotten very fast at getting out of the way of Lord Sesshoumaru's fists so the hanyou was quite easy to avoid. Inuyasha was only able to hit him if the toad was distracted and didn't see it coming.

They finished the rest of their business and made it back to the castle before nightfall. Shippou turned back into himself when he got into his room and went to bed without eating, exhausted from keeping his illusion in place for so long.

Inuyasha too was glad to be back and was looking forward to retiring as well and unclamping his ears which were throbbing from being held down. He was just about to head up the stairs after finishing looking over the treaty when Jaken stopped him.

"Anoki is here and he won't leave. You'll have to see him. Try and get rid of him quickly," Jaken advised.

Inuyasha nodded his head and got back into character just as his cousin walked into view. "Cousin, I am weary, what do you want," Inuyasha intoned hoping he was going to be able to fool the dog demon.

"Sesshoumaru, I need to speak to you, it's important and it will only take a bit of your time." Anoki bowed respectfully towards his cousin.

_So far so good,_ Inuyasha thought. _Now I just gotta get rid of him. _He took the tall demon into the study and sat down behind the desk, trying to keep some distance between himself and his kin. He wasn't too worried about his smell, his sister's clothes that he was wearing should cover his scent with hers, but he still didn't want his cousin to see him too closely.

"I know what happened, you don't have to pretend with me," the grey haired demon stated.

Inuyasha kept his mouth shut, his heart beginning to beat a bit quicker. _Damn it, does he know?_

"I told you that humans were fickle. I saw your monk wed another so I know he has left you." Anoki cleared his throat and stood proudly before the person he thought was Sesshoumaru. "I am officially declaring my intentions to make you my mate," he stated formally.

Inuyasha stood up from the chair, his eyes beginning to open wide. "I do not wish for a mate," he told the inu demon trying to stay in character.

Anoki approached the hanyou quickly forcing Inuyasha to step back until his back was against the wall. He caressed his hand on the half demons cheek. "I can heal your heart if you will but allow it. We have always been meant for each other," he stated breathily, leaning in closer.

Inuyasha pushed his cousin hard, being careful to only use one arm and then moved around the desk so he was no longer trapped against the wall. He stood tall and proud as he knew his sister would and glared at the demon on the opposite side of the desk. "You will leave my home. I do not want a mate," the hanyou intoned regally, cracking the knuckles on this right hand for added emphasis.

"I will go for now, but I have declared my intentions and I will not give up. I know you care for me, Sesshoumaru. Give us a chance and you will see how good we are for each other." Anoki bowed and then walked out._ I will make you mine, cousin, no matter what I have to do to accomplish it._

Inuyasha slumped back down onto the chair his heart thumping loudly._ Damn it. Sesshoumaru you should have warned me about this guy._ He called for Jaken and told the toad what had happened, ordering him to not allow the tall demon into the castle again.

"You must avoid him at all costs," Jaken worried. "He could expose our deception and that would cause a great deal of problems."

"No kidding," Inuyasha returned sarcastically, worrying himself._ That guy doesn't seem like he's going to be giving up easily, damn it. How am I going to get rid of him?_


	16. Change of Plans

Chapter 16: Change of Plans

"Twins? You're sure?" Miroku asked excitedly, a huge grin adorning his face.

"Yes, I am quite sure," responded Sesshoumaru. She gave her mate a soft smile as he put his hands on her rather large belly. A small chuckle escaped her lips when she saw the look of wonder on his face as he felt his two children move within her.

Miroku puffed out his chest proudly and embraced his wife, kissing her ardently. "I'm so happy," he whispered holding her tight. He could not believe his wondrous luck. Everything he had ever wished for was coming true. "Inuyasha sure will be surprised when we get home."

Sesshoumaru snuggled into his arms, happier than she had ever been. She had a much better understanding of her father and his love for humans, all the anger and bitterness she had harboured towards him over the years was now gone.

She was currently only two months shy of giving birth and everyone was getting excited, especially now that the news had gotten out that she was carrying twins, a rare occurrence. The monks and priestess of the village had come and blessed the un- born children, saying it was a sure sign of good luck and prosperity for the couple and the village they were to be born in.

Sesshoumaru had been uncomfortable with all the attention from the humans but kept it to herself, she was supposed to be human as well and had to act the part. She had politely refused the aid of the village mid-wife, telling her that she had her own priestess and mid-wife in Kagome. She, of course, could not allow the kind village people to see the babes as they would most definitely be hanyous, raising suspicion as to what she was, and after the birth they were planning to leave as soon as possible to return to the western lands. Sesshoumaru made a mental note to provide aid for the poor village upon her return to her own lands. They needed many things and she would be sure to act as benefactor to this small village that had offered her kindness and aid.

Kagome, for her part, was busily reading and learning anything and everything she could about child birth. The young miko was nervous to be acting as mid-wife but excited as well that Sesshoumaru trusted her to do this. She had also bought many presents for the two pups and would not listen to Sesshoumaru when the demoness told her that she did not have to buy so much.

The two women had had a lot of time to get to know each other and spent many days walking and talking together as Miroku would help the men in the small fields or with repairs around the village. Sesshoumaru was still a bit overly quiet but the two were quickly becoming good friends. The demoness would even tease the miko about her hanyou brother as she knew the teen girl loved him. She also knew from her past talks with her brother that he loved the dark haired human was well.

"Perhaps we will be planning another wedding soon," Sesshoumaru teased the girl, grinning slightly at the blush that crossed Kagome's face. They were currently sitting on a bench in a small park area of the village watching Rin as she ran and played with the other children.

Kagome rubbed the back of her head self consciously. "I don't think that's likely to happen," she stated a bit sadly as the two of them sat down on a bench to rest.

"Really?" Sesshoumaru questioned. She thought she would definitely have to have a talk with her brother. Surely he would not allow his future mate to not know how he felt for her.

"I don't think Inuyasha thinks of me that way," Kagome replied.

"Do not be so certain," Sesshoumaru told her. "I am sure he cares deeply for you but is too stupid to tell you."

Kagome broke out laughing at the serious tone of Sesshoumaru's voice leaving the demoness a bit confused as to what was so funny. "I'm sorry," Kagome apologized between giggles. "You're so…so sombre. The young girl got herself back under control. "Does Inuyasha still make you mad?" she questioned.

"No, not mad. I would say he can be…irritating," Sesshoumaru replied after giving it some thought.

Kagome nodded her head in agreement, giving the human looking demon a smile. "I can't argue with that," she sighed. "We should head back, Miroku will be back soon, we should probably get supper ready," she said as she rose from the bench they were sitting on. She held out her hand to help Sesshoumaru who was trying to rise, finding it difficult with her heavily pregnant stomach.

Sesshoumaru at first ignored her offer of aid, as always, not wanting to show any kind of weakness.

"It's okay to have help sometimes," Kagome stated to her still holding her hand out with a friendly smile on her face, especially if it's from a friend."

Sesshoumaru huffed indignantly but took Kagome's hand and allowed the girl to help her to her feet. As soon as she was standing a sharp pain ran though her belly causing her to gasp out.

"Are you alright?" Kagome questioned worriedly.

"I believe so," Sesshoumaru answered as the pain began to subside. She started to walk and the pain came back worse than a moment ago. She doubled over, gripping her stomach and moaning.

"You're not alright," Kagome cried out. The teen girl called for Rin and the two of them helped Sesshoumaru back to the hut as quickly as the demoness could move and helped her onto the futon. Some of the villagers had seen them pass and a couple of the women knocked on the door.

"Is Rumiko okay?" The younger of the two asked Kagome. "Should I go get the mid-wife?"

"No, that won't be necessary, but thank you for offering. We would be most appreciative if you would get Miroku and could someone take care of Rin for awhile?" Kagome smiled.

"I'll go get Miroku-sama one girl said while her friend took Rins hand and led her to the door. "I have a daughter Rin's age, they can play together so don't worry."

"Can't I stay, Kagome-chan?" Rin asked, her eyes big and bright.

"We'll come get you when your sisters or brothers are born, okay? Be a good girl so you don't worry mama," Kagome instructed the child patiently.

"Okay," agreed Rin half-heartedly but her spirits picked up when the lady told her that she could have cookies with her daughter and that they would have lots of fun playing.

Kagome closed the door and went back in towards the futon where Sesshoumaru was panting and sweating. The bedding under her was wet, her water had broken. Kagome also noticed there was a great deal of blood and she tried to hide her fear. Something wasn't right, labour should not have progressed so fast and even though she knew birthing was a messy business, there still should not have been this much blood.

"It is too soon," gasped out Sesshoumaru as another contraction took over her body. For the first time, Kagome saw true fear in the normally stoic demon's eyes.

Kagome took a breath to calm herself, this was not the time to lose it. "It's going to be okay," she soothed. "Twins usually come early." She smiled at the panting demoness trying to quell the panic she could see starting to show in Sesshoumaru's eyes. "I'm going to get my bag; it has everything we need, remember the breathing I taught you."

Sesshoumaru nodded her head and began to do the breathing exercises Kagome had shown her out of one of the many books the girl had read, beginning to feel better at the calmness being shown by the young miko. She grunted as another wave of pain claimed her.

Kagome was in the other room getting things ready and boiling the water she would need when Miroku barged through the door. Many of the villagers had accompanied him to the hut.

"Is she okay? What about the babies? They were not due for another two months," Miroku rushed out in anxiety.

"Sess…Rumiko is fine," Kagome answered seeing that some of the women had followed Miroku into the hut, also asking questions and making a fuss, the mid-wife being one of them. The young miko tried to keep a calm, happy look on her face so the others would leave.

"Do you require my assistance?" the pushy mid-wife asked coming forward as if she was going to go into the other room. "You are quite young to be acting as a mid-wife and with the babies coming this soon…" She never got to finish her sentence as Miroku came and gently took her elbow and led her back to the door.

"Thank you so much Yuri-sama, but Kagome is quite experienced in these matters," he lied. "My wife would not feel comfortable with anyone else." He gave the woman his most charming smile, causing the mid-wife to blush hotly. She grinned at the charming monk and then shooed the rest out the door.

"Please do not hesitate to call me if you need me," she said as she too followed the rest out the door.

"We will, thank you," Miroku replied as he slid the door shut. He turned his now serious and worried eyes to Kagome.

"It's okay, Miroku, I know it's early but we have to help Sesshoumaru. The babies will be strong, they have her demon blood in them, everything will be alright," Kagome told him, trying to sooth his fears and her own.

"Right," he affirmed. "What can I do?"

"Help me get everything into the bedroom, you can stay with her if you want, that would probably help her the most." Kagome knew that men in this era did not come into the birthing room as the men of her time did, but she knew that both Miroku and Sesshoumaru would feel better if they were together. The two friends gathered up everything and headed for the bedroom. Opening the door the pair stood in shocked silence, not believing what they were seeing.

Sesshoumaru was gone.


	17. Unforeseen Complications

This chapter is dedicated to Divina14 – Congratulations for graduating from grade 8 throws confetti

Chapter 17: Unforeseen Complications

Sesshoumaru lay in the room listening as Miroku and the others came in. As soon as she smelt the village women and could hear one of them come closer to the door, a foreboding feeling overtook her. 'Not safe' is what her canine instincts told her and she rose from the futon, crossed the room and tore open the rice paper wall. She stepped through the opening and went out into the forest behind the hut heading to a place she had prepared a few weeks ago.

Sesshoumaru had enjoyed walking in the forest, something she had always done at home. Now it was more peaceful seeing as she didn't have to track down Naraku any longer and she wandered all around the village going deeper and deeper into the forest, enjoying her time alone.

She had found the place she was now heading for on one of those walks. It was nothing more than a shallow rut under a half rotten fallen tree when she first saw it and she had gone over and started to tentatively dig out the indentation, feeling almost compelled to do so. The more she dug the more right it felt to her until over the few days she had returned to it she had completely excavated a cosy den. This was where she was struggling to get to.

She had told no one of her den, feeling foolish that she had even dug it out. Not something a demon lord should lower themselves to do and she hadn't really understood the compulsion that had overcome her to dig it out in the first place. Now she was glad that she had this secret place to disappear to.

Sesshoumaru gripped the side of the tree as a strong contraction raced through her, clenching her teeth against the pain._ I'm going to kill that monk,_ _he is never going to touch me again, _she thought furiously. She waited for a few moments and then started walking in the direction of her den. She was so intent on getting there and fighting off the spasms of pain as she internally cursed her mate that she didn't notice the trail of blood she was leaving behind.

Kagome and Miroku stepped though the slashed opening of the hut and worriedly looked around. Miroku noticed the drops and splashes of blood on the ground and leaves.

"Why would she leave like that?" Miroku asked in confusion.

"I don't know but we have to find her, she shouldn't be up walking around," Kagome returned. Miroku went to the lady that had been watching Rin and asked if the little girl could stay there awhile longer while the miko girl quickly packed up any supplies she could carry in her yellow bag before they headed out to find the missing demoness.

The young teen was almost at her wits end with worry. She had hoped to be able to deliver the babies in the comfort and safety of the village where there would have been aid if she so required it. Seems like Sesshoumaru had changed their plans for whatever reason and Kagome tried to hide the fear she felt as they followed the trail._ So much blood, this can't be right._

Miroku stopped by a tree noticing a rather large splotch of blood beside it. "She must have stopped here," he exclaimed in fear. He too thought there was far too much blood on the ground to be good.

"This way," Kagome cried out as she spotted more blood leading deeper into the forest. They soon came upon a hole that had been dug out under a fallen tree, the trail lead straight to it.

Kagome and Miroku went forward to the entrance. "Sesshoumaru, are you in there?" Kagome called out. She was met with the sound of a very loud growl. _Of course, why didn't I realize it,_ the young girl berated herself._ Sesshoumaru is dog demon; she would want a secure and private place to have her pups. Now how am I going to get in there to help her without getting myself killed,_ she mussed.

Miroku called down the hole when he saw Kagome hesitate. "Sesshoumaru, it's Miroku, you have to allow us to come in to help you," he stated gently. He allowed his aura to only radiate calmness and quiet. He heard a low grunt and then a whine and his heart went into his throat in fear. "Sesshoumaru, speak to me," he demanded.

"Just Kagome," he heard his wife pant out. "There is not a lot of room in here."

"It will be okay," Kagome soothed the monk. "Why don't you start a fire and boil some water for me."

Miroku took the container the dark haired girl offered him and headed toward the stream he saw just off to the right of the den.

Kagome took a breath and crawled down the hole into the darkness wishing she had brought a flashlight or some candles. She was soon surprised when she emerged into a more open area that had been dug out of the earth. Sesshoumaru had also punched out ventilation holes in the top of the low ceiling which allowed the sunlight to stream down so she could see quite clearly._ She must have been working on this for quite awhile._ She still had to stay on her hands and knees, the top of the den was only a few feet high not allowing for standing room.

Sesshoumaru was curled up naked on a pile of fur, leaves and grass that she had fluffed up to form an impromptu soft nest. Kagome saw her discarded kimono folded neatly by her head. She was panting hard and was soaked in sweat. Kagome pulled out the bottle of water she had and dampened a cloth she pulled out of her bag, wiping the sweat from the demoness' brow, exposing her markings.

"I have to push," Sesshoumaru grunted softly.

"Go ahead, I'm right here," Kagome told her trying her best to stay calm as she positioned herself to take the pup whose head she could now see. She quickly dumped her bag grabbing for the towels and other instruments she had stuffed into it.

Sesshoumaru bore down hard, moaning deep in her chest as she strove to push her infant out into the world. Kagome helped by gently guiding the pups head and shoulders as she had leaned to do in the books she had read so it could slide out more easily.

Miroku had the fire going and the water was just coming to a boil when he heard the unmistakeable cry of an infant. He rushed to the opening of the den. "Is everything alright," he called down into the hole.

"Yes," Kagome replied happily back to him, cutting the umbilical cord and holding the dark haired, puppy eared boy after wrapping him in the towel. "You have a son." She laid the infant on Sesshoumaru's chest, smiling at the demoness as the new mother sniffed her offspring and began to lick his small face, cuddling him to her.

Miroku ached to go into the hole as well to see his new son and wife but he held himself back not wanting to get in the way as he knew Kagome still had the other child to help into the world.

Sesshoumaru began to pant again as more contractions took a hold of her. "Cold," she shivered. "I'm so cold."

Kagome quickly took the first born. "Hold on, Sesshoumaru. I'm going to give the baby to Miroku to clean and I'll get you something to put over you to keep you warm." The miko put her hand on the overly cool skin of the demon lord. _It's because she's lost so much blood, I guess her demon healing is having a hard time to keep up._ The teen took the baby to the opening of the den calling to Miroku. She passed the boy to his happily smiling father telling him the baby needed to be washed and asked for his outer purple robe. "I forgot to bring a blanket," she told him apologetically.

"That's okay, here," he replied as he took off his robe and accepted his son.

Kagome hurried back down the hole and covered the quivering demoness in the robe. Sesshoumaru calmed immediately with the scent of her mate wrapped around her.

"Are the pains bad?" Kagome asked, wiping Sesshoumaru's brow, worried at the clammy feeling of her skin._ She's so pale._

"Not as bad now," Sesshoumaru answered a bit weakly, trying to relax and rest before the next child decided to arrive. She closed her eyes feeling more tired than she had ever felt before when the pains began again.

The second child took longer than the first to arrive. Sesshoumaru felt so exhausted and weak she could barely push but eventually, four hours after his brother, the second dark haired boy arrived crying strongly and loudly as he emerged from the birth canal. He was a perfect look-a-like for his older brother right down to the black ears on top of his head. Neither boy had any of Sesshoumaru's markings.

_That will make it easier when we get back to the village, _Kagome thought._ We just have to keep their heads covered and no one will ever know that they are hanyou's._ Kagome pushed down on Sesshoumaru's stomach to help her expel the afterbirth when she suddenly noticed a foot. _Oh! A third baby,_ the miko exclaimed to herself. She looked up to the pale, still face of the demoness. "Sesshoumaru, you're going to have to push again, there's another baby."

Sesshoumaru slowly opened her eyes, she felt the pain, this time worse than with the other two children but she just didn't have the strength to push anymore. "I can't," she uttered, moaning as pain overcame her making her perceptions begin to turn grey.

"Sesshoumaru! Wake up!" cried out Kagome. "You have to, this baby will die if it can't get out." Kagome had noticed that the little foot had not moved, not once and fear was beginning to clutch at her heart. She leaned over trying to reach her hands in to help turn the baby, praying to every being in the heavens to make sure she was doing this correctly and to allow this little one to live and be born. "Push when I tell you," she ordered.

Sesshoumaru barely nodded, crying out as she felt the combined pain of labour and Kagome's hand inside her.

"Is everything all right down there?" Miroku called from above. His first born was clean and snuggled into the towel Kagome had provided. He was still waiting for his second which he knew had been born. He couldn't figure out why his friend had not brought the other child up.

"Hang on Miroku," Kagome yelled up, "looks like there's another one." The miko tried to stop the quaver in her voice.

_Three! Oh my. _Miroku felt pride and worry collide within him. He held his first son close to him trying to keep himself patient.

Kagome finally got the baby turned the proper way. "Now Sesshoumaru, push," she demanded firmly

Sesshoumaru held her breath and bore down. The baby barely moved. She fell back gasping for breath. "I can't" she moaned.

"Yes you can, you have never given up, look what you've done. You became lord of the western lands, the most powerful demon around. You have already given birth to two healthy boys, now it's this ones turn to be born, so push damn it!" Kagome was suddenly sounding very much like Inuyasha.

Sesshoumaru growled and sat up pushing with every last ounce of strength she had. Kagome had the child's head and pulled gently until the baby girl popped out. This child also carried no markings but her hair was pure white instead of the black of her brothers. She also had two cute, white, puppy ears on top of her head reminding Kagome of Inuyasha's.

The little girl was not moving and Kagome, deciding now was not a good time to panic, put the child on her lap and ran her fingers in the infants mouth to clear it and then began to do the infant CPR she had read about in the first aid book she carried. Tears were starting to sting in the miko girls eyes as she couldn't seem to get a response from the pup when all of a sudden the baby jerked in her arms. The teen girl took her mouth away and the little girl began to cry, a bit weaker than Kagome would have liked, but she was crying just the same.

"Sesshoumaru, it's a girl," Kagome announced excitedly. She received no response. She looked up from the baby to the demon lord's very pale face, her smile starting to disappear. "Sesshoumaru?" she questioned coming closer. She put her fingers on her demon friend's neck to check for a pulse and felt nothing. She laid the two infants beside each other as she put her head on Sesshoumaru's chest. She could hear no heartbeat and could feel no breath.

_No, Sesshoumaru you can't be dead._


	18. Trouble at Home

Chapter 18: Trouble At Home

Inuyasha took a large breath of fresh air as he leapt up into the tree in Sesshoumaru's private gardens. He had no idea being a lord was so completely boring and tedious. He had to hand it to his sister, this was certainly not a job he wanted to be doing for the rest of his life. He was quite proud of his sibling, to do what she had done, to garner such respect from other important people, human and demon alike and keep the secret she had kept was amazing to him. He even felt a bit of jealousy at how easy she had made it look.

Inuyasha sat in the tree and carefully rubbed his tender ears that he had let loose, sighing. He missed his sister and Kagome. He even missed that lecherous monk and couldn't wait for them to return with his new niece or nephew._ Only a few more weeks, I can stand it till then,_ he thought. He leaned back into the branches intent on just relaxing when Jaken came out into the gardens.

"My lord," he called out in his squawky voice. Inuyasha looked down though the leaves and decided to ignore him in the hope he would just go away. Jaken didn't have much of a sense of smell but he did have excellent eyes and his sharp vision soon spotted the hanyou high in the branches.

"Get down from there," he yelped, looking back the way he had come. "Have you forgotten the village councillors are here for a meeting this afternoon?" he hissed at him so the men wouldn't hear if they should have followed him.

Inuyasha groaned and hopped down, fixing his clothing and getting back into character. "Hey," he yelled grabbing his head. The toad had just given him a good thump with his two headed staff. "What the fuck was that for?"

"Your ears, my lord," Jaken said sarcastically.

Inuyasha reached up sheepishly and put his ears back in place under his hair. "You didn't have to hit me," he reprimanded. "Bet you don't do this shit to Sesshoumaru," he continued to grumble as he followed the little retainer into the castle.

Jaken smirked happily. He was just having way to much fun in tormenting the hanyou every chance he got, knowing that the half demon would not react the way his true lord would. Besides Inuyasha was way to slow to catch him, unlike Sesshoumaru who was deadly fast.

Inuyasha sighed as the group of men finally left, satisfied that their concerns were going to be met by their lord. He stretched and wandered towards the back of the castle where the door to the gardens was. At the last minute he changed his mind.

_I need to go somewhere that stupid toad can't find me for awhile,_ he thought as he changed direction and went through the kitchens and out the servants entrance. He received some odd looks from the kitchen maids as he passed through but he ignored it and glided regally by them, keeping a cold, disinterested look on his face.

Finally outside he took a quick look around to make sure no one was about and then bounded off into the forest as quickly as he could. He grinned happily as the fresh, evening air blew past him bringing the wonderful scents of the woods to his nose. How he had missed this. He continued to run, enjoying the freedom from the confines of the castle. He wondered if his sister did this as well, he couldn't imagine not wanting to take a good run and feel the grass underfoot, the air on your face and the wind in your hair._ I'll have to ask Sesshoumaru to do this with me sometime._

He came to a halt at a quiet meadow and looked out over the tall grass that was blowing gently in the wind as he allowed his breathing to come back to normal. The moon was almost full and it put a silver glow over the scene before him. Looking at the view made him feel more peaceful now than he had since taking on this job. He reached up to set his ears free but stopped when he heard a sound behind him.

"Sesshoumaru," a deep male voice said. Inuyasha spun around, his eyes large in surprise.

"An-Anoki," he stuttered out. "What are you doing here?"

"I followed you. I saw you leave the castle so I thought I would take the opportunity to talk to you."

Inuyasha frowned, he did not like the idea of being alone with his demon cousin, especially since said cousin was looking at him in a most disturbing way. The disguised hanyou put his hand on the hilt of the Tetsusaiga. "What do you want?"

Anoki pointedly looked at Inuyasha's hand on the sword. "Are you going to hurt me cousin?" he asked as he took a step forward. "I only wish to talk, nothing more."

Inuyasha relaxed slightly. "Talk then," he stated as he retreated a step from his imposing cousin.

Anoki smiled. "Sesshoumaru, why do you pretend you do not want me? I may have been to bold in my declaration but it was truthful. I only want you to give me a chance, as you did the human."

"Look," Inuyasha replied. "There are things going on you're not aware of." The hanyou tried to keep his voice even. He kind of felt sorry for Anoki that his love would go unrequited but he figured this was something his sister needed to deal with.

"You have so many secrets, Sesshoumaru. Don't you know by now you can trust me?" Anoki questioned stepping a bit closer.

"Anoki, I don't even know you and I am not interested in taking a mate right now," Inuyasha replied in aggravation.

"That human meant that much to you? You would keep your heart frozen from another because of him?"

"That's not it." Inuyasha was beginning to get angry at the stubbornness of this guy. "I just don't want a mate," he growled to his cousin. _Why can't he just get it though his thick skull?_

"I think you do," Anoki purred and grabbed Inuyasha, pushing him against the tree behind him. He pushed his body against the hanyou and grabbed his chin in his long claws holding his face still. The demon brought his lips down hard on Inuyasha's in a crushing kiss.

Inuyasha struggled in the grip of his stronger demon cousin. He was angry at himself that he had been taken so easily by surprise. Suddenly Anoki released his lips from him and stepped back, holding the half-demon's arms at his side, a look of complete shock on his face.

"Who are you? You're not Sesshoumaru." He pulled the left sleeve of Inuyasha's kimono up, grabbing the arm that should not have been there. Anoki began to snarl and he shook the hanyou in his grip. "I asked you a question, impostor. What have you done with Sesshoumaru?"

"H-h-how…" Inuyasha tried to question.

"You think I don't know the taste of my beloved?" Anoki raged as he wiped the marks off Inuyasha's face.

Inuyasha pushed the taller demon back, twisting out of his grip and unsheathing the Tetsusaiga. "Sesshoumaru is not here and he already has a mate," the hanyou fumed. He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand staring daggers at his cousin._ Looks like another family member I'm going to have to fight._

"You lie!" Anoki yelled. His eyes narrowed and he glared at the impostor in front of him. "Where have you hidden Sesshoumaru? Who the hell are you?" The grey haired demon unsheathed his own sword, the moonlight glinting off the very thin, sharp edge of the blade.

Inuyasha reached up and loosed his ears from their bindings and then began to circle the inu demon trying to get into a better defensive position.

Anoki gasped. "Inuyasha. What have you done? Did you kill your brother to take his place, is that it?" The tall demon lashed out with his sword cutting Inuyasha on the arm, drawing blood. "That's why you're dressed up like him, you know the court would not accept a hanyou lord."

_Damn he's fast,_ Inuyasha thought trying to keep some distance between himself and the agitated demon. "Stop, I didn't kill Sesshoumaru. I told you she's not here." The half-demon realized his mistake too late.

"She? What do you mean she?" Anoki still kept his sword pointed at Inuyasha.

_Damn it!_ "Look, this is something you should talk to Sesshoumaru about," Inuyasha replied.

Anoki moved quicker than Inuyasha could see and he was again held tightly in the demons crushing grip, his sword pulled from his hand and thrown to the ground. Anoki didn't even flinch when the sword burned his hand before he could toss it away. "If you want to live, hanyou, you better tell me what's going on now." Anoki had sheathed his blade but he pressed his rather long fangs against his cousin's neck in threat, growling low and deep.

Inuyasha tried to squirm and twist away unable to loosen his cousins strong grip, Anoki nipped hard enough to tear into the white haired boy's throat, allowing the blood to pool and drip down his neck. "Be still and tell me what I want to know or I swear I will rip out your throat and feast on your blood."

Inuyasha yelped in pain from the bite. "Sesshoumaru is female, she went away with her mate." He was not about to tell him anything more, wanting desperately to protect his sister even though his canine instincts were screaming at him to submit to an apparent alpha.

"Female? That damn monk; that was Sesshoumaru I saw being wed to him and not a human wasn't it?" he asked, remembering when he had thought the scent of the human woman was off. At the time he had been so relieved that the monk had turned away from his beautiful cousin that he hadn't paid it much mind.

Inuyasha nodded his head. "I'm just taking her place for a little while until she comes back. I am her brother and the true heir to the western lands," the half-demon continued with a hint of defiance. "It is my right to rule."

Anoki released the hanyou and stood momentarily in stunned silence. He then smirked as his half-demon cousin. "If you were the true heir, why have you not taken your place as lord? Why do you hide behind your disguise? I'll tell you why," the demon said before Inuyasha could answer, "because nobody will accept a half-breed to rule over them. They would demand a full youkai and since I am the only male full demon in our family, I would be the rightful heir."

Inuyasha leapt towards his sword when he saw his cousin pull his from its scabbard. "If you care about Sesshoumaru as much as you say you do you wouldn't do this, you'd leave her alone and go."

Anoki laughed bitterly. "She has made a fool of me, she had her chance to tell me but she chose not to. A female cannot be lord, not according to the laws of our kind. She has to know this and this is why she has deceived her way into the position. She has claimed a right that was not hers to take. She has acted with dishonour, as have you, so I will take what is mine to claim.

"Not if I can help it," Inuyasha ground out as he launched himself at his angry cousin.


	19. Return of the Tenseiga

Chapter 19: Return of the Tenseiga

"Miroku, get down here now," Kagome yelled. She could not take care of the babies and their mother at the same time. She gave a quick check on the two pups, the boy was wiggling around strongly; the girl was moving, but weakly.

Miroku scrambled down the shaft into the larger den area his face pale and drawn because of the tone in Kagome's voice. "What's wrong?" he asked as he tried to squish himself into the very close quarters of the den.

"Take care of the babies. Keep them warm and stimulate the little girl to move," Kagome commanded as she turned her attentions to Sesshoumaru. She began CPR as she had done for the little girl with no results. Miroku looked on in shock as he rubbed the infant girl getting her to warm up and squirm. He was sitting cross-legged on the floor of the den, hunched over with the two boys in his lap, the little girl in his arms.

"Sesshoumaru," he whispered tearfully._ By all that's holy, please don't let her die,_ he prayed.

Kagome sat back, panic beginning to overtake her. She couldn't get any kind of response from the demoness at all and her skin was so cold. _Oh no, she's lost too much blood, what do I do?_

Suddenly Sesshoumaru's whole body pulsed; the two humans looked on in surprise. They waited and at first it looked like nothing was happening when the cold and limp body pulsed again. This time Kagome could see some of the color coming back into Sesshoumaru's cheeks. The miko girl put her fingers on the artery at the demoness' throat. Still she felt nothing. One more pulse and this time the teen grinned excitedly at Miroku who had his three children hugged to him tightly. She could feel the skin warming and now there was a definite heart beat.

"I don't know what's going on, but she's alive," Kagome exclaimed, tears of joy running down her face. Miroku also was crying loudly in relief. He scooted closer to his wife and was looking down on her when she opened her eyes.

"Miroku," she rasped out. "Why are you crying? Our children…"

"They're okay, they're all right here, two boys and a girl, Sesshoumaru." Miroku stopped his weeping as he gently stroked the still pale cheek. "You gave us a bit of a scare, I thought you had…" he couldn't finish as he broke down into a fresh batch of tears.

"You died, Sesshoumaru," Kagome interjected still awed by what she had just witnessed. "You died and then you came back to life."

"It was the Tenseiga," Sesshoumaru replied weakly.

"The Tenseiga?" questioned Kagome, "but that sword broke, the day of the battle with Naraku, I saw it in pieces."

"Yes but many of those pieces embedded themselves in my body. I still carry them. It is hard to explain but somehow I know it was the Tenseiga. I could almost hear it speaking to me, calling me back." Sesshoumaru closed her eyes and then opened them again. "My pups, I want to see my pups."

Miroku placed the pups so Sesshoumaru could see them and touch them. She smiled at her mate as she touched and smelt each one, allowing them to do the same. "You need to let them smell your scent," the demoness told her mate. "That way they will know you as their parent."

"I will, but please, rest now," he ordered her kindly, leaning over and kissing her gently on the forehead. "You need to give yourself time to heal." Sesshoumaru smiled at the two humans and did as her mate commanded, drifting off almost as soon as she closed her eyes.

Miroku stayed awake and kept guard, erecting a holy barrier at the entrance to the den in case any demons had followed the blood trail. He held the babies, one after the other, letting them take their turns at Sesshoumaru's breasts so they could gain nourishment and strength.

Kagome broke down for a few moments from the stress and joy of what had happened. _I can't believe I just did that, _she thought not without a bit of pride. Miroku just smiled and allowed her some privacy by pretending he didn't notice her tears.

The next morning Sesshoumaru awoke feeling stronger than she had the day before. She felt a warm body pressed against her back and turned her head to see Kagome snuggled up under Miroku's robes with her, two of the three pups warm and sleeping between them.

"Sesshoumaru," Miroku whispered from the left of where they were lying. "Kagome was exhausted, I hope you don't mind but it was getting pretty cold last night."

"It is not unpleasant," Sesshoumaru returned a bit surprised she hadn't felt the teen girl sleeping beside her. Her mate was holding the third child, the little girl. He had kept her with him though-out the night to make sure she would be okay. She was smaller and weaker than her two brothers but was doing well, especially since she had been able to nurse, gaining the much needed colostrum and antibodies from her mother's rich milk.

Sesshoumaru looked up at her mate who had scooted over closer to her. She rested her head in his lap being careful not to jar the two male pups or Kagome and wake them. "We need to choose names," she sighed as she pet the little girls white baby hair. Her ears stood straight up just like Inuyasha's unlike the two boys, their ears were bent over at the tips.

"I've been thinking about that," Miroku grinned. "I would like to name one of the boys after my father, Yuzuru."

Sesshoumaru nodded her agreement. "The other boy we will name after my father, Touga."

"I like that. I don't think I've ever heard your father's name before," Miroku stated.

"It has been a long time since I have heard it as well," the demoness sighed, lost for a moment in old memories. She brought her attention back to the small bundle held in her mate's arms. "That only leaves this little one." They both looked into sparkling golden eyes that looked like stars on fire. "Kagetsu," Sesshoumaru breathed out.

"A perfect name," returned Miroku. "She is our bright moon."

"That's so pretty," Kagome sighed out beside the inu demoness. She had been awake for awhile but did not want to disturb the two parents as they picked names for their children, but now she couldn't resist and small tears of happiness came to the corners of her eyes.

"I do not think I will ever get used to how emotional humans are," Sesshoumaru groaned. The two boys began to stir and the group sat up, each taking a child and passing them from one to the other as each baby had a turn to nurse.

"We need to leave," stated Sesshoumaru as the last pup fell asleep. "Rin must be worried."

The group gathered the children and wrapped them in clean towels making sure to cover their heads. Kagome re-applied the make-up to again cover Sesshoumaru's markings and then they all exited the den, Sesshoumaru a bit shakily wearing her mate's outer robe as her kimono was covered in blood. Miroku gripped her arm worriedly. Sesshoumaru accepted his help but was soon able to walk on her own, albeit a bit slowly.

They returned to the village going back though the hole in the back of the hut so others would not see them and know they had never been there. When they gathered their belongings and Sesshoumaru had changed they left the hut to be accosted by almost everyone who saw them.

Miroku kept a close eye on his mate, all the attention her and the babies were getting was making her edgy and nervous and she began to growl low in warning. "It's okay, Rumiko," he said to her so his wife wouldn't take it into her head to use her claws to rip the young woman apart that was cooing over the eldest boy, Yuzuru.

Kagome kept the boy clutched tightly to her which calmed Sesshoumaru as she saw how ardently the miko girl protected the child. They collected a most excited Rin thanking the woman who had kept her, allowing her family to see the pups but not to touch them. Saying goodbye they left as quickly as politely possible to return to Sesshoumaru's lands.

The group of four stopped as lunch time approached, Sesshoumaru and Rin settling down to take care of the pups needs while Kagome and Miroku started a fire and cooked some fish and rice.

Rin was very excited and happy to be helping her adopted mother with the babies and Sesshoumaru made sure that she introduced each pup to their older, human sister, letting them sniff her causing Rin to giggle madly. The small girl sniffed each child back. "They all smell different," she told the demoness which impressed Sesshoumaru greatly. She didn't think that human noses were well enough attuned to tell the difference.

As they all sat under the large tree after eating, Miroku noticed how pensive his wife was looking. "Is something the matter?" he asked.

"I was just thinking. The Tenseiga is part of me now perhaps I can still use its power. It did save me so the power is still potent even though it is no longer a sword."

"Possibly," Miroku conceded waiting for Sesshoumaru to continue her thought. He wasn't sure what she was thinking about and what it had to do with the former sword.

"If I knew I was still capable of bringing back the dead, I could use it to help Kohaku if we were to remove his shard."

This was something that everyone had been puzzling over for quite some time; how to get the shard from Kohaku without killing him. Miroku knew Sango would be immensely happy to finally have her brother back and be able to give one of the three remaining shards to Kagome to help finish the jewel. It was still garnering far too much attention because of the power other demons could sense.

"How can we test it?" Kagome questioned, thinking the same as Miroku.

Sesshoumaru looked at the two humans, she knew they were probably not going to like what she was going to suggest. "We would have to kill something for me to try and bring back."

"What? No, we can't kill people. What if it doesn't work?" Kagome cried out.

"I did not say it had to be a human. An animal or a demon would work just as well."

"I don't know," Miroku interjected unconvinced. He didn't relish killing an animal and he certainly didn't want to approach a demon while his wife was still weak and they had the babies and Rin to consider.

"You have killed demons in the past and you have hunted and killed animals before, why are you being so squeamish about it now?" Sesshoumaru replied confused at the reluctance she sensed from the two humans.

"Well a demon is out, I don't sense one anywhere around at all," Miroku stated.

"What about that bird?" Rin, who up until now had been silently listening, spoke up. She was certain her Sesshoumaru would be able to bring the small creature back. The little girl pointed to a crow that was sitting in the branch on the tree across from them.

"That would do," Sesshoumaru replied.

"So who's going to kill it?" Kagome asked.

"It will have to be one of you," Sesshoumaru told them. She was still healing from her ordeal and wanted to save what energy she had to use the power of the sword shards within her.

Miroku and Kagome looked at each other, neither really wanting to do it but finally Kagome pulled her bow from her back and notched an arrow.

"Are you sure, Kagome?" Miroku questioned.

"I've got the bow and arrow, I don't have to get as close to it as you do so I probably won't scare it away. I hope you can bring it back, Sesshoumaru."

"That is what we are about to find out."

Kagome aimed and loosed her arrow and it found its mark. The bird dropped out of the tree with the arrow embedded in its chest. Sesshoumaru stood and walked over to the bird, she attempted to remove the arrow only to have it burn her hand.

"Opps sorry," Kagome uttered apologetically as she pulled the purifying arrow from the small body.

Sesshoumaru gave her a bit of a glare and then turned her attention to the dead bird. She called upon the power of the Tenseiga and within a few moments she saw the little death imps surrounding the crow. She lifted her claws and slashed them down though the grotesque creatures and smiled in satisfaction as they slowly dissolved under her hand. A few seconds later the bird hopped onto its feet, spread its wings and flew off into the sky, cawing loudly in complaint.

"Well I guess that answers that question," Miroku stated in awe watching as the crow disappeared over the trees.

"Sango will be so happy," Kagome stated.

"Yes," answered Sesshoumaru glad that she had not lost the power of her father's sword even if that power was not as strong as it once had been. She had felt the difference in the energy immediately. She wondered if it was because she did not have all the shards of the sword inside her. She decided she would have to go back to the area they had battled Naraku and retrieve the rest.


	20. The Return Of Evil

Chapter 20: The Return of Evil

Inuyasha and Anoki leapt towards each other, blades flashing in the moonlight. Their two swords connected together making sparks fly. They circled each other again, both trying to look for an opening.

Anoki lashed out again with his sword, moving incredibly fast. Inuyasha jumped back just barely able to get out of the way. The dog demon came at him again and again not giving the hanyou time to start an offence, keeping his cousin on the defensive and in a weaker position. The larger demon stabbed forward with his blade, Inuyasha able to block it with his when Anoki punched the hanyou with his other hand and knocked him down. The grey haired demon raised his sword above the half-demon, smirking in apparent victory when he was suddenly hit from behind and fell to the ground unconscious.

Inuyasha looked in surprise at Jaken who was holding the staff of two heads. "This is very bad," the toad squawked. "I told you to be careful when you were out of the castle. Now he knows and Lord Sesshoumaru is going to be furious."

"It's not my fault," Inuyasha complained. "He kissed me for fucks sake, said I didn't taste like Sesshoumaru. That's how he found out."

"Why did you let him kiss you, stupid hanyou?"

Inuyasha growled loudly and gave the imp a thump on the head. "I didn't let him, he just did it. What am I explaining to you for?" he intoned. "What do we do with him now?" he asked looking down at the still unconscious demon.

"We'll have to lock him in the dungeon until Lord Sesshoumaru returns, she'll have to decide."

Inuyasha picked up the larger demon and slung him over his shoulder then him and the small toad made their way back to the castle.

There was much excitement when Sesshoumaru, Miroku, Rin and Kagome returned. No one had been expecting them back so early and Inuyasha, Jaken and Shippou were elated to see the pups.

Inuyasha smiled down at Kagetsu, who he was holding at the time, allowing the small pup to sniff him and put his scent into her memory. He gave a huge grin to his sister and a wink to Miroku who was showing Touga to Shippou. Miroku grinned sheepishly and puffed out his chest in pride at his manliness in producing three children in one go.

"We're never going to hear the end of it," Shippou whispered to Inuyasha as he scooted over to look at the little girl pup. The hanyou nodded and snorted his agreement.

"We'll have to get Sango and Kohaku, they'll be so happy to see them," Kagome gushed. She passed Yuzuru back to Sesshoumaru and went to stand by Inuyasha. Jaken sidled over to his mistress to get a look at the black haired pup. Sesshoumaru pretended he wasn't there but she lowered her arm surreptitiously so the toad could get a better look. The demoness was doing her best to stay upright but she was finding herself feeling rather fatigued and she wobbled very slightly on her feet.

Miroku was the only one that noticed, everyone else's attention was taken by the pups. "I don't want to cut this short but I'm beat and I'm sure the pups are hungry," he hinted kindly, knowing that his wife would only deny that she still required more healing and rest. He took Kagetsu from Inuyasha, holding her in one arm and Touga in the other as he began to head to the stairs, Sesshoumaru behind him carrying Yuzuru.

The rest of the older members of the group went off and sat in the main room and exchanged stories about what had happened to each of them, while Shippou and Rin ran off to play. The biggest story was, of course, what happened at the birth of the pups. Inuyasha was horrified when he found out his sister had died and come back, but soon calmed when Kagome reassured him that Sesshoumaru was fine now.

Their discussion turned to Kohaku and the shard he carried and Jaken sent a messenger to tell Sango and her brother to come to the castle. In all the excitement both Inuyasha and Jaken forgot about their "guest" in the dungeon.

Anoki was absolutely livid. He yelled curses and beat at the cell door before sitting on the mat of straw in one corner of the cell trying to decide the best way to gut his two cousins when he got free.

_Why wouldn't she tell me but tell that damnable human? I would have kept her secret if she had just trusted me,_ the inu demon told himself._ All this time, everything I did to get back here, all wasted._ Anoki growled and showed his fangs in a snarl as he stood and began to pace back and forth._ Bet they're all getting a good laugh, 'that Anoki what a fool, in love with a man that turns out to be a woman.' And that hanyou, sticking me in here like a goddamn criminal. They're the ones that need to be imprisoned for what they've done. When I get out of here, I swear they'll regret the day they messed with me._

The dog demon walked around the old cell trying to find a weakness to the enclosure. There was no window, the door was made of thick metal and the walls were solid, no loose stones that he could see. Then his eyes drifted to the hinges to the large door. He went over to inspect them further. They were old, rusted and pitted in places. He tried picking at them but they held well. He brought his poison to his fingers and grinned in satisfaction as the metal hissed and peeled as his yellow acidic venom found its way into the small nicks and holes. After what seemed like a long time the third and final hinge let go and Anoki pulled the door away. He quietly left the castle without being seen, thankful that the whole household seemed to be concerned with something else. Once outside he quickly headed to his fathers lands._ Father will be most pleased to hear my news,_ the grey haired demon thought maliciously. _He's always wanted to get his hands on the western lands. Perhaps, with this, I can be forgiven._

The inu demon was disappointed when he finally made it home. The castle was abandoned and looked like it had been for quite sometime. He sat on the worn, broken step of his childhood home with feelings of anger, bitterness and loneliness surging though him. _Everything that has happened; it's all Sesshoumaru's fault. You'll pay cousin, you'll pay in spades._ He looked up when he noticed a small child coming towards him. The little girl had white hair and was carrying a small mirror. She seemed totally without fear as she approached him; in fact she seemed to show absolutely no kind of emotion at all.

"What do you want kid? I'm in no mood for games," he snarled out.

"My master has requested for me to find him an ally," the child whispered out in an eerily quiet voice. "I think you will do."

Anoki raised an eyebrow at the audacity of the child as a chill went down his back, he could feel her aura just wasn't right and he stood, suddenly becoming wary.

"Look into my mirror," she commanded in that creepy little voice.

Almost against his will Anoki found himself looking and at first he could see nothing, not even his own reflection. The mirror seemed to swirl with smoke and mist and then it began to clear. The dog demon gasped as the countenance of a beautiful raven haired man emerged from the depths of the mirror with a most enticing smile on his face. The grey haired demon thought the man rivalled his cousin in beauty and raw sensuality as he looked into the red eyes peering back out at him from the glass.

"I can feel your hate and anger," the man purred out in a deep masculine voice. "It would not be because of two certain dog demons would it?" he asked still giving Anoki that sexy grin.

Anoki frowned. "How do you know of me and my troubles?" he asked still feeling that things were not as they seemed here.

"I know a great deal about a great many things," the being responded. "One learns quite a lot when one is dead."

Anoki's eyes opened in surprise. _Dead, did he say he was dead?_ "What do you want spirit?" he asked, he had no interest in ghosts no matter how gorgeous they were.

"My name is Naraku and I have had my own problems with those accursed demons. It is because of them that I am in the predicament you see now. Perhaps we could aid each other. You do wish to see your cousins' defeat do you not?"

"How did you…" Anoki began to ask. He was cut off with a deep, malicious laugh that made his blood run cold.

"That is not important, as I've said I know a great many things. Do you wish for revenge or not? Or are you all bark and no bite?"

Anoki frowned at the insult. Maybe he would just see what this ghost had in mind, after all how powerful could a mirror bound spirit be anyways. "Yes, I want revenge," he stated hotly, "and I suppose you can give me that revenge."

"Oh yes, that and more. You could be the most powerful demon in all of Japan; I can give you such power," Naraku cooed out seductively.

"Yeah? And how's that?" Anoki questioned in disbelief.

"Allow me to reside in your body. The small girl you see before you can transfer my spirit from the mirror into you. Of course you would remain in total control at all times, but once I am within you, all the power I have is yours to command as you see fit. And I do have a lot of power."

"If you're so powerful, what do you need me for?" Anoki questioned suspiciously.

"I need a body to contain my power, my old one was destroyed but yours seems like it would do fine. Combining the powers I know you already possess with mine will make you untouchable. Of course if you are afraid I can always look elsewhere." The little girl began to turn to leave when Anoki called out.

"Wait, I will remain in control of you, you cannot take me over?" he asked.

"Of course not, you will be in control at all times," Naraku lied as he grinned. "You will be the master. I only wish to see the deaths of my enemies who have unfairly done this to me. Just as they have unfairly taken what should be yours, making a fool of you in the process. Then I can rest."

"What about the kid here?" Anoki asked trying to ignore the dig the creature in the mirror had just given him.

"She will remain at your side; she is a most loyal servant and can aid you in ways you wouldn't expect. When our goal is accomplished she can return me to the afterworld for my much deserved rest," Naraku's grin increased as he watched the foolish dog demon's expression, he knew he had him.

"Alright I agree, but if I want you out the kid here will take you out. Do you agree?"

"Of course. I am but a lowly spirit, yours to command, master," Naraku replied as he bowed within the mirror.

Kanna held the mirror out towards Anoki. "Put your hands upon the glass," she stated softly, her dead eyes looking into his.

Anoki hesitated only for a second before he complied. He suddenly felt a heat pour into him, seeming to burn every fibre of his body and nerves. He tried to take his hands off the mirror but found he couldn't move and as blackness began to descend on his perceptions he heard a most unpleasant laugh. He then realized his mistake but it was too late.

Naraku opened the eyes of his new body, chuckling evilly. "Now this feels much better," he stated to the small child who looked up at him blankly. "Now, it's time to gain a little satisfaction." He pushed down on the other being occupying this body with him and grinned when he felt it let go under his intense mental power. "Yes, much better indeed."


	21. Preperation For War

Chapter 21: Preparation For War

"What do you mean he is gone?" Sesshoumaru questioned the little toad with a tone of foreboding in her voice.

"M-my l-lord, t-the door, h-he melted the hinges…" Jaken grovelled on the floor on all fours under the intense, unhappy stare he was receiving.

"Take it easy, Sesshoumaru, it's not Jaken's fault," Inuyasha defended the small imp, feeling sorry for him.

"So whos fault would it be, brother?" the demoness demanded turning her irritated glare on him. "You should have killed him where he lay," she ground out.

"He's our cousin, our family. How can you be so callous…oh yeah, I forgot I was talking to the ice demon," Inuyasha sneered, becoming angry himself.

Sesshoumaru narrowed her eyes and grabbed her brother by the front of his haori. "Watch your tongue, little brother, or I will rip it from your mouth." She pushed the hanyou back making him topple over onto his butt beside the toad. "Our family is here, in this castle. If Anoki is not loyal to us, he is our enemy regardless of his relationship to us," she stated, looking down at her hanyou brother. "Do you think he would have shown you such mercy? What would have happened, do you think, if Jaken had not arrived in time to save you?"

Inuyasha's face turned a lovely shade of red as he remembered his demon cousin above him with that smirk of victory plastered on his face. No, he would not have shown the same mercy at all. "You know, our family is fucked up," the hanyou grumbled, rising from the floor.

"That may be," Sesshoumaru conceded, her anger beginning to ebb and worry beginning to take its place. "But we still have to find a solution to this problem. We cannot allow him to gather forces against us. He could very well ally with the humans, they have been more than troublesome and I fear we do not have the numbers they have."

Inuyasha's eyes widened in shock; did his sister actually fear the humans? Sesshoumaru noticed his surprised stare. "The humans are weak but there are many of them, I never underestimate a foe," she returned.

"So what, we should go out and kill the humans?" Inuyasha asked in astonishment. He knew his friends would never agree to this and he certainly wasn't going to be killing humans no matter what his sister said.

"No, we cannot leave the castle undefended," she said thinking of Rin and her three pups. "You will take some demons and men that are loyal to our family and go find Anoki. If you think you can persuade him to leave us in peace, I will accept that. If not," and here she became very serious, staring straight into Inuyasha's eyes, "you will kill him. You have your nieces and nephews to think of now. You must protect the pack," she finished firmly.

"But, what of you, my lord?" Jaken questioned.

"I will stay here with another group and defend the castle should it become necessary to do so." As much as Sesshoumaru wanted to go and talk with her head strong cousin herself, her need to stay and protect her young was too strong. She would not leave them in the care of others unless it was absolutely necessary and she would not take them on so dangerous a mission thereby thrusting her brother into the role of general in the war she feared was coming.

Naraku had gathered many demons to his side as well as humans and was amassing quite an army. He had found out, though his link with Anoki, Sesshoumaru's little secret and once he had gone to the lords around the inu taiyoukai's territory, many had been quite interested in this development and had agreed to ally themselves with the teal eyed demon to help him claim the western lands. In exchange Anoki/Naraku would promise them power or land deals and with one lord, even the taiyoukai herself upon her capture.

Naraku was not so foolish as to think that Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha were just sitting around waiting to be attacked. His spies had returned telling him of the inu's attempts to gather their own forces, even going to some of the lords he had approached to garner support. He also knew of Inuyasha's attempts to find him but he was not ready to face the hanyou and his sister at the moment.

No one knew who he really was behind the façade of the grey haired inu and he intended to keep it that way, at least for now. He grinned when he imagined their reaction when they found out who was inhabiting this body and he couldn't wait to have a 'personal' audience with a certain demoness.

They would pay for destroying him and leaving him in this spirit form, having to steal a body not nearly as strong as the one he had worked so hard to develop previously. He had been lucky that Kanna had survived the battle and had managed to snag his soul into her mirror before it had been dragged down into hell where there would have been no escape.

Naraku sat and daydreamed of the day he would be able to see Inuyasha die a slow and very painful death, grinning happily, and selling Sesshoumaru into a life of slavery would be worse than death for her. His smile increased in a most unpleasant way.

"My lord," came a small voice.

Anoki/Naraku looked at the rat demon bowing before him. "Yes?" he questioned, irritated at having his thoughts interrupted.

"My kin and I have more news for you."

"Very well, what is it?"

The small rat demon stood and looked at his new lord that his clan had allied themselves with. Their own territory had been taken over by humans who had been hell bent on destroying all of his kind, so when this rather large and intimidating inu demon had approached and promised protection for his kind, he had gratefully vowed to serve him as best as he and his family could. They were the main spies for Naraku's growing army and they could morph down into animal rat form and go anywhere, hear anything.

"The female demoness is staying in the castle, she has pups and will not leave them. Perhaps you could make use of this information."

Naraku grinned hugely, yes he could definitely make use of this information. He knew, just from dealing with Sesshoumaru in the past, how protective she had been of that little human female. In fact he had used that weakness against the demoness more than once. _What would she do to protect the lives of her own flesh?_ he wondered. "We will have to make plans to attain these pups," he smirked. Naraku felt a pull on his soul; that other one, the one in here with him was trying to make him stop. It did not want him to harm the pups or Sesshoumaru.

_Be still,_ he told the presence of his host._ You wanted revenge on her for lying to you, for choosing that human over you. Now she has bourn his pups instead of yours, you should be happy to be rid of them. If we capture her, we could impregnate her with our own seed. We could have heirs that would continue to rule for us. That is what you want, is it not?_

**_What I want is you out of my body, now!_** Anoki told the tenacious ghost. The dog demon had, and still did, want to get back at his cousins for the embarrassment they had caused him but he was not in the habit of harming defenceless pups. And although the thought of Sesshoumaru submissive under him did have its attractions, even if she was female, he did not want this thing inside him to be enjoying it as well.

_Not going to happen,_ Naraku told him. The former hanyou was a bit surprised at how strong willed this demon was. He was having some trouble keeping him quiet and submerged within their combined psyche. He knew Anoki would not be able to force him out but this constant clashing of wills always gave him a headache, impairing his concentration and ability to use this bodies powers. _Enough! _he yelled, pushing down hard on the mind of Anoki, forcing it back into the darkness. Naraku sighed, rubbing his temples with his hands. _Just a few more months and I'll have myself and my army ready._ The demon walked off towards his room in the old castle of his host, passing the servants and slaves that were putting the building back into usable condition._ Right now I have other matters to attend to._


	22. Shikon Shards

Chapter 22: Shikon Shards

Sango chewed on her bottom lip thinking over what the others had just told her about extracting the shikon shard from her brother's back. "Can you really bring Kohaku back?" she asked the demoness sitting across from her.

"I will not lie. I have only tested this once and there is a risk. I cannot guarantee it will work." The demoness stated. "Even with all the shards of the sword back together within me." Sesshoumaru had returned to the site of the battle and retrieved all the slivers and shards she could find of the Tenseiga, pushing them into her body when they had returned to the Western Lands.

"I think it's worth the risk, oneesan," Kohaku replied softly. He really wanted to be able to help in completing the shikon jewel so they could all put the unpleasantness of the past behind them. He was still having problems dealing with what he had done even though he now realized that it had not been his fault. But still, the feelings of guilt persisted and there were times when he felt quite depressed. He knew if it hadn't been for the love and understanding of his sister he might have done himself in long ago. It also helped that the others didn't seem to blame him about his past, even though he had worked with Naraku against them.

"It has to be your decision," Miroku informed the boy.

"Yes," agreed Kagome. "We won't force you and its okay if you don't want to. We can think of something else." The miko girl smiled kindly at the young slayer. "We haven't even talked to Kouga yet about his shards, so you have time to think about it."

"I'm going to go see the stupid wolf today anyways," Inuyasha complained, not happy about his sister's request to ask the wolf and his tribe to join with them. He had been upset with Kagome who was the one to put that particular idea into Sesshoumaru's head. They had heard from their spies that Anoki was gathering forces to his old home and they were trying to do the same to keep up with the swelling army of their cousin.

Sesshoumaru now didn't try to hide what she was. Everyone in a one hundred mile radius knew anyways, thanks to her cousin. She had lost support because of it, which she had expected, but she was pleasantly surprised at the amount of houses that still wanted to stay loyal to their past alliances with her.

Some of the lords respected the fact that she had led so well regardless of her sex while others were just plain fearful, knowing what the demoness lord was capable of and had done in the past to those that went against her. The feared her retribution if they aligned themselves with her cousin. The ones that had left to her demon cousin's side were mostly the older lords and demons who felt that a woman was incapable of leading. These ones, unfortunately, were also the most experienced in battle.

Everyone agreed to wait for now and allow Kohaku time to think about it. Sesshoumaru was a bit frustrated, she would have liked to have gotten this over with and from what she knew of the jewel the sooner it was put back together and then secured, the better. The thing brought nothing but heartache as far as she could tell and there had been demons that even now, had approached the castle closer than she would have liked because of the power emanating off the thing. She hated that it was in her castle and by its very presence, endangering her pups. She held her tongue, trusting that the miko knew what she was doing and vowed to aid in her and the jewels protection. Sesshoumaru sure hoped that her brother wasn't still intending on wishing to become a full demon on it.

"Well, I better get going if I'm going to get to Kouga's lands before nightfall," Inuyasha stated, rising from the chair. Kagome, Sango, Kohaku, Miroku and Shippou all decided to go with him while Sesshoumaru stayed back at the castle with the pups and Rin. Jaken, of course, would not leave his mistress so stayed behind as well. Sesshoumaru and Miroku said goodbye to each other in private while the rest waited outside the door then the group were soon on their way.

"Did you secure him?" Naraku questioned the human warrior and his group.

"Yeah, he's not going anywhere," the large man smirked.

"Very good," Naraku grinned. "You have earned your reward." He passed the man a large sack of money. "Consider the weapons a gift for doing such good work. I may have need of you in the future."

"No problem," the dark haired warrior stated, smiling happily at the rather large amount of money he had just received. The group of men bowed to the dog demon and left carrying their rifles over their shoulders, overjoyed at their good luck.

Naraku entered the cell that was located in the back of the castle. **_Who's that?_** Anoki questioned the parasite within him. The former spider hanyou smiled as he looked down on the battered, bound and unconscious wolf prince. _That is bait… plus a little payback,_ he answered. He pulled over a chair and sat, waiting for the wolf to regain consciousness.

"What's the matter, Inuyasha?" Kagome questioned when the hanyou stopped. They were close to Kouga's lands and the sky was just starting to darken.

"I smell blood and gunpowder," he returned as he sniffed the air.

Before the group could investigate further, a loud crashing was heard coming towards them through the bushes. Inuyasha pulled the Tetsusaiga from its sheath and stood protectively in front of Kagome. Miroku held out his staff and Sango had her hand on her boomerang when the intruder stumbled out of the bushes and fell on the ground in front of them.

"Attacked…no warning…took Kouga," Ginta moaned out as he tried to hold his hand over the large bullet wound in his stomach.

"What? Who took Kouga?" Inuyasha asked as the group of friends bent down to help the ailing wolf demon.

"Humans," was all Ginta managed to say before he passed out.

"The bullet has to come out," Kagome said as she looked at the gaping wound. "We'll have to take him back to Sesshoumaru's, she has a healer there." Kagome hurriedly stopped the bleeding and wrapped the wound while Sango set about fashioning a stretcher. The girls knew that he was in no condition just to be carried in Inuyasha's arms. Inuyasha and Miroku went on ahead to the wolves cave to see if anyone else was there. They soon came back, their faces shocked and saddened.

"Why would the humans do that?" Miroku questioned.

"I don't know," Inuyasha replied shaking his head. They had been unable to find any other survivors and in fact the whole place looked like a massacre. Every wolf, demon and even the pups had all been shot dead. Some had even been missing their pelts, skinned neatly and professionally.

"Did you…" Kagome started to ask and then stopped when Inuyasha just shook his head. "Poor Ginta," she whispered. "What about Kouga?"

"I didn't see him and Ginta said the humans took him. I have their scent but we have to get Ginta some help first," the hanyou stated looking at the prone wolf demon who was now lying on the stretcher.

"Sango, Shippou and I can take him back to the castle on Kirara, why don't you, Kohaku and Kagome try to track where they've taken Kouga," Miroku offered.

"Yes," agreed Sango. "Kirara can track you when we return. We'll meet up with you."

Inuyasha was unsure, he didn't want to split everyone up and it was now dark. He wasn't worried about the cat demon or himself as they could see very well with what little light came down from the stars and moon.

"Come on, Inuyasha," Kagome yelled out, making his mind up for him as she started towards the caves.

"Hey, wait," he called out to her as she started trekking off into the darkness with the slayer boy at her side. "Okay, but find us as fast as you can," he ordered Miroku and Sango. He then ran off to catch up with the stubborn humans before they could get themselves into trouble.

Kouga moaned as he began to awaken wondering where he was and why he couldn't move. As things began to come into focus for his foggy brain he realized that his arms were tied tightly behind his back and he was lying on a low futon. He tried to scramble upright remembering the battle that had ensued at his caves. They had been attacked by a group of men that had just started firing for no reason upon his pack. He had tried to fight them off but there had been so many of them and they had taken him by surprise and overpowered him, knocking him out. He didn't even know how his kin were and he looked around to see if any of them were with him. He spun around when he heard a soft noise behind him.

"Awake are we?" questioned a tall, grey haired dog demon.

"Who the hell are you? Where am I?" Kouga snarled out trying to stop himself from feeling so dizzy.

"You're at my castle and my name is Anoki. I am Sesshoumaru's and Inuyasha's cousin," the demon explained with an unfriendly smile.

"Inuyasha? Where the hell is that mutt? What the fuck is going on?" Kouga again tried to struggle from his knees to his feet but the tall, lanky demon shoved him back down.

"Don't worry about that. You have something I've been looking for."

Kouga struggled under the strength of the demon above him that had him trapped on his belly. He felt his leg wrapping being sliced off of him and his eyes opened in surprise. He screamed as he felt sharp claws rip into the flesh of his legs and extract his shards. He kicked back forcefully, smirking past the pain in satisfaction as he heard a grunt and the weight of the demon leave him. His reprieve was only momentary as the demon grabbed him by the back of the neck and pushed him down again, this time punching him hard in the kidneys causing him to gasp and cry out in agony.

"You're going to pay for that wolf," Naraku hissed out, spitting out the blood that was pooling in his mouth from where Kouga's foot had connected with him. He punched and then kicked the ookami until Kouga was barely moving. Naraku grinned looking down at the barely conscious wolf, his organ stiff in excitement.

**_Stop, what are you doing?_** Anoki tried his best to force the being within him to stop the thoughts that were spinning through their combined mind. He used all his will to make the swelling phallus become limp with only minor success.

Naraku laughed at the attempts of his host._ Look at him, lying there like that. Let me show you the power of dominance. It's quite heady really to have such control over another._

_**No, I don't want to do this. I'm not a rapist. **_

_Liar! If you didn't want this your body wouldn't respond so easily to it. Admit it. You're excited by the prospect of hearing his screams as you take him. You wouldn't hesitate if it was Sesshoumaru,_ Naraku purred seductively.

Anoki looked down on the wolf that was groaning and trying to get up. He had to admit that the ookami was handsome, even through the bruises and wounds. But what Naraku was telling him went against his own convictions. He had never taken someone against their will, enemy or not and he didn't even know this Kouga or what he had to do with his cousins. He pushed back against the erotic images that his 'roommate' was giving him.**_ You don't know me as well as you think. I'll fight you on this._**

_Enough of this, I will have my revenge on this lowly demon,_ Naraku stated, gritting his teeth against the developing pain in his head. He reached down and slashed the clothing off of the stunned wolf.

Kouga couldn't figure out what this guy was doing and why he seemed to be mumbling to himself but fear began to blossom in his breast as he felt his clothing being torn away and his legs being roughly pulled apart. "Hey, what the fuck…!" The wolf tried his best to squirm away and managed to turn himself over onto his back. He watched for a moment as the grey haired demon grabbed his head and moaned as if he was in pain. Then those cold teal eyes found him and the dog demon lunged forward, grabbing the wolf around the throat.

Kouga kicked and thrashed but to no avail, he was weak from being beaten and his legs had lost the strength of the jewel shards. He still couldn't figure out how this guy knew he had shards, especially since he had never seen him before in his life. The dog demon punched him hard in the jaw stunning him and then he was flipped over onto his stomach again. "Stop! Why are you doing this?" Kouga cried out weakly still fighting as much as he could to avoid what he knew was coming.

Naraku was fighting against the wolf and his host but he was determined to win both battles and smirked when the pain in his head began to lessen and the injured ookami's struggles began to weaken. He pulled apart his kimono and released his engorged organ from his fundoshi. He held the wolf tightly around the waist, using his knees to force apart the bloody legs. He positioned the tip of his cock against the tightly clenched opening and then leaned over to whisper in the ookami's ear. "This if for all the times you teamed up with that worthless half-breed against me."

"What? What are you talking about? I don't even know you," Kouga whimpered trying to get out from underneath the body above him and the grip that was holding him down.

"Guess you don't recognize me in my new body," Naraku hissed. "I'll give you a hint then. Who else was looking for the shards of the shikon jewel?" Naraku laughed evilly still pressing his cock against the small, dry opening.

Kouga's eyes went wide in fear and shock, "Naraku," he gasped.

"You win the prize," the former spider chortled, slamming into the wolf as hard as he could and groaning in satisfaction at the loud scream that bellowed forth from the body below him. He continued to pound harshly into the wolf feeling the inner muscles tear and the warm blood flow over his manhood.

Kouga's cries went from heart wrenching screams to pathetic whimpers while Naraku grinned above him. When the body below him went completely limp he still continued to thrust into it until he came hard, groaning loudly.

_See, that wasn't so terrible was it,_ he hummed to Anoki in his mind as he pulled out of the unconscious demon.

Anoki chose not to reply. He felt sickened by what this creature had done to the poor wolf but he also had been aroused by it, had felt the pleasure of it and he felt shamed. Especially since this nasty being knew his feelings.

Naraku just chuckled out loud at the silence of his host. _If you thought that felt good, wait till you feel this._ Naraku took the two jewel shards he had been clasping in his fist and pushed them into his neck. A flood of warmth and flashing power zipped through him and he felt his reluctant host gasp, the muscles of his body twitch.

**_God, what is that?_** Anoki questioned his spirit resident as feelings of euphoria passed though him like a wave.

_That, my dear friend, is the power of the shikon jewel. When we have it all, there is nothing that we won't be able to do. We will control everything and everybody on this earth._ Naraku smirked and stood from the futon to clean the blood from his body before putting his kimono back in order. _Did I not tell you that I would make you the most powerful demon ever?_

For some reason what had just transpired did not seem to be as important anymore to Anoki, he felt so good, so strong. The shards began to turn black inside the dog demons body. **_Yes…yes you did._**

Naraku's grin widened into a nasty smile as every bit of his former headache completely disappeared. He knew from now on he would have no more trouble from the demon he was residing within.


	23. Making A Devils Bargain

Chapter 23: Making A Devils Bargain

Kouga opened his eyes and tried to move. A bolt of white, hot pain ran though his insides and back and he groaned loudly. He lay still, gasping, waiting for the pain to dissipate. He began to access his injuries. His arms were numb from being tied behind his back and his legs were sore but had at least stopped bleeding. He had a bruise that was tender over his kidneys, a black eye and a sore jaw but he knew those injuries would soon heal. The worst pain was coming from inside him and he knew that what Naraku had done to him had torn him up pretty bad. _Naraku, that bastard, how can he keep coming back to life? Didn't the mutt and his brother defeat that guy? _

The wolf prince began to sit up very slowly, wincing at the pain his awkward movements were causing him until he was finally able to sit, a light sheen of sweat on his brow. _I wonder if Inuyasha knows Naraku's back?_ He questioned himself. _I gotta get out of here. Find my pack and warn the mutt, gotta protect Kagome._ He stood and hobbled over to the door, trying to wiggle his arms from their bindings. Suddenly the door opened and there stood the grey haired dog demon known as Naraku. Kouga took a step back, his heart pounding in his chest.

"Well, well. Seems you're more resilient than I thought," he chortled out, looking at the naked wolf. He was immensely enjoying the look of fear in those blue eyes.

"Get away!" Kouga choked out, too damned frightened to worry about his pride. That heated look he was receiving was terrifying him, making his blood run cold. "You got what you wanted, just leave me alone," he tried to demand but it sounded more like pleading to his ears.

Naraku grinned at the aura of absolute fear coming from his victim and felt his manhood give a twitch. "I don't have everything I want…yet," he stated hungrily as he advanced on his prey.

"Inuyasha, I sense jewel shards," Kagome informed the hanyou as she stopped and looked down the left path, "two of them."

"That has to be Kouga," Inuyasha stated. He knelt down so Kagome could hop onto his back and they took off at full speed, Kohaku right behind them finally coming to a stop just outside Anoki's castle. "Are you sure they're in here?" he questioned the miko girl as she dismounted.

"Yes but the aura of the shards are different," she stated worriedly.

"What do you mean different?" Inuyasha questioned. Kohaku stood beside them, holding on to his sickle.

"They don't feel like they did before, I can't explain," she mumbled in frustration. "There's something wrong. Why would Anoki want Kouga anyways?" she asked.

"I don't know but I'm done with this shit. That guy, he just doesn't know when to quit. Come on, we're going to go talk to him or beat the shit out of him. At the moment I don't really care which." The group of three went right up to the castle doors and knocked loudly. A small demon servant came to the door.

"My master has been expecting you, please follow me."

Inuyasha and Kagome shared a surprised look. Kohaku's eyes began to dart around, looking more than a little nervous. "I don't like this Kagome-sama, Inuyasha-sama. It feels wrong," the young boy stated. He had been getting a very creepy feeling and it just wouldn't go away.

"He's just another stupid demon," the hanyou stated, angry at all the theatrics his stupid family seemed so fond of. _Why can't the bastard just show himself if he knew we were coming?_

"The shards are in the castle, Kouga has to be here," Kagome whispered to Inuyasha, feeling a bit creeped out herself.

The servant led then down the hall and then took them into a large room. There were many books on shelves and a table for writing which was covered in papers. Large windows let the light shine in from behind the table. All in all it looked like a fairly large study. "Wait here please, I'll go get the master." The little servant then left, closing the double doors behind him.

Anoki arrived a few minutes later. Kagome and Kohaku were immediately on edge. Kagome could sense the tainted jewels in his neck. Kohaku was sensing a familiar aura but he was trying hard to dismiss it, not wanting to believe.

"Hello, cousin," Anoki/Naraku drawled out.

"Cut the bullshit, Anoki. Where's Kouga?" Inuyasha ground out, in no mood to deal with his love crazy cousin.

"You can have him. I have no further use for him," the inu demon stated, waving his hand in the air in dismissal.

"Inuyasha," Kagome whispered fiercely. "Anoki has Kouga's jewel shards in his neck."

"She's a smart one, your little wench," Anoki stated, staring at Kagome almost pleasantly.

"So you took Kouga's shards. That won't help you get Sesshoumaru or the Western Lands. That's what all this is about isn't it?" Inuyasha asked in irritation.

Anoki grinned evilly. "Well we'll deal with your sister at another time. Right now I wish to thank you."

"For what?" the hanyou questioned putting his hand on the hilt of the Tetsusaiga. That grin was making him nervous and he had the feeling he was missing something, something important.

"You just walked in here with the rest of the jewel for me." Before anyone could do anything Anoki had grabbed both Kagome and Kohaku around their necks, holding one in each arm. Inuyasha had drawn the Tetsusaiga but couldn't use it as his cousin had both his friends in front of him acting as a shield. The two humans struggled in his iron grasp but could not twist free.

"You better let them go or…"

"Or what, what are you going to do?" Anoki laughed at the look of distress that crossed the hanyou's face. "You will put down your weapon or I will kill them both here in front of you."

Inuyasha hesitated, trying to figure a way out of the mess that they had all so quickly gotten into.

"Do it now," yelled the dog demon growling low in his chest and squeezing the two humans causing them to gasp for breath.

Inuyasha dropped the Tetsusaiga, growling back as his cousin.

"That's much better. Now I have a bargain for you. Bring me Sesshoumaru and I'll let your friends go completely unharmed."

"What about the jewel?" Inuyasha questioned knowing he could not trust his cousin.

Anoki just smiled that creepy smile. It reminded Inuyasha of somebody; he couldn't quite put his finger on who but that smile just didn't look right on his cousin's face.

"The jewel is mine," the dog demon stated matter of factly.

"You can't complete it. If I do as you say and you keep to your bargain, you can't take Kohaku's shard."

"Inuyasha, no, don't listen to him," Kagome cried out. She was cut off when Anoki again increased pressure to her windpipe.

"You just let me worry about that. For now you need to make a decision. Either watch them die or bring me your sister. Which is it?" Anoki began to seep his poison out of his fingers on both hands making the two humans in his grasp cry out in pain as the yellow venom touched their skin.

"Alright, alright," Inuyasha yelled. "Just stop it. I'll get her." The hanyou hung his head in defeat. He was secretly hoping that Sesshoumaru would be able to make short work of this guy so they could retrieve their friends._ Sesshoumaru was right; I should have killed him when I had the chance. I won't make that mistake again._

Anoki/Naraku grinned; things were going just as planned. "Well, what are you waiting for? These two will remain my guests until you and your sister return. You have my word, I will not harm them."

Inuyasha leaned down and picked up the Tetsusaiga, putting it back into its sheath. "You better not hurt them or you'll regret the day you ever met me," he threatened as he turned and walked out.


	24. Battle

Chapter 24: Battle

"Kouga-kun," Kagome cried out as she rushed to the wolf's aid. He was huddled in a corner of the cell she had been thrown in, whimpering. The young girl blushed fiercely trying not to look at the bloodied and naked body of her friend; she gently laid her hand on his shoulder.

Kouga flinched away from her touch. He did not want the girl that he loved to see him in such a state and he tried to curl up even tighter into a ball to hide himself from her eyes. "Please, Kagome, don't look at me," he said brokenly.

"Kouga," the young teen whispered, tears coming to her eyes. She knew she didn't know a lot about sex and such but she could sure figure out what had happened. She wrapped her arms around the bruised and hurting wolf trying to comfort him.

Kouga didn't pull away this time, needing her comfort. He reached his hand up and placed it on hers, listening to her soft sobs. "It will be alright. Don't cry," he told her with more confidence than he felt. "I'll heal."

"I'm supposed to be helping you, not the other way around," she sniffed, trying to get her emotions under control.

Kouga smiled weakly. "We'll just have to help each other, ne?" Kagome just nodded, keeping her head buried into the wolf's back. "Listen, Kagome. That's Naraku in that body. Where's Inuyasha?"

"Naraku?" the girl questioned. "Oh no, Kouga he has my jewel shards, all that we collected and Kohaku is with him."

"He has my two as well, that means he can complete the shikon jewel. Where the hell is Inuyasha?" he asked again.

"He was here but Anoki…I mean Naraku made him go to bring Sesshoumaru here," the miko told him.

"Damn, we'll have to figure out a way to get out of here and get those shards back. We can't let him complete the jewel," Kouga replied. He tried to stand and Kagome had to help him as his legs were shaking under him. Again the young girl blushed and she looked around for something to cover the ookami with. Unfortunately there was nothing in the cell but his shredded furs that were not going to do any good in that department anymore.

_Suck it up, Kagome,_ she told herself._ Worry about getting out of here first and warning Inuyasha._

The door, as expected, was securely locked. Kouga tried to physically pull the door open and when that didn't work tried to kick it down, but in his weakened condition he only managed to cause himself more pain and he was soon sweating and panting. "I'm sorry, Kagome. I can't get us out," he groaned as he slid down against the wall.

Kagome's eyes watered in frustration. Kami knew when Naraku was going to come back and what if the jewel was already whole? They had to get out. The young miko put her hands on the door and concentrated with all her might, trying to use her miko powers. At first nothing happened but then a soft glow began at fingertips as she thought of all the people that she loved being hurt by Naraku. She thought of the hard battle they had fought against him previously and how her friends had been killed once already by the evil hanyou. She was not going to allow that to happen again. He was dead, damn it, and she would make sure that he stayed that way, even if she had to rip him apart with her bare hands.

Kouga's eyes went wide in surprise and he put his arm up in front of his face as he saw Kagome become engulfed in a bright blue light, her hair lifting and floating around her with the power she was letting loose from her hands. Suddenly the door groaned and then cracked. As the door disintegrated, Kagome's eyes rolled into the back of her head and she fainted, the blue light flickering out. The wolf prince caught her before she hit the hard floor. He patted her cheek gently, calling her name and in a few seconds her eyes opened. "Kagome, are you alright?" he asked worriedly.

The human girl gave a small smile. "We better go," she stated. This time it was Kouga to help her to rise and then the two friends crept out of the cell to try and find a way to warn the others and save Kohaku.

Kohaku was pulled after the tall dog demon after said demon had thrown Kagome into the cell at the end of the hallway. The young slayer didn't resist, he couldn't deny that aura coming off of the inu any longer. The grey haired demon finally stopped when he was in a large, fairly empty room. A low table with cushions around it was the only furniture. The double doors at the far end of the room were slid open allowing the slayer to see out into the garden. Anoki/Naraku stood and just stared at the young boy who looked right back, showing no fear.

"Naraku," the boy stated with little emotion.

"So you remember your master," Naraku answered. "I may have use for you again so I will not kill you at this moment."

"I will do your bidding no longer," Kohaku replied firmly.

"Do not tempt my patience, little one, or you may find yourself no longer in this world." Naraku grabbed the boy by the collar of his suit and pulled him off of his feet.

"I will fight you till my dying breath." Kohaku suddenly let his foot fly out in a kick, catching the demon off guard and knocking him back. The young boy landed on his feet and watched as the almost complete jewel rolled out of the dog demons kimono. He lunged for it and before Naraku got over his surprise at the boys gall, had the jewel in his hand and was running out of the open door into the gardens and the forest beyond it.

Naraku let out a roar of fury and raced out the door vowing to end the young boy's life and get his jewel back.

Inuyasha held onto his sister for dear life as she flew through the air on her cloud. He was stunned at how fast she could move this way and the flimsy looking cloud at his feet was making him nervous. He couldn't figure out how the thing was able to hold their combined weight.

Sesshoumaru had said not a word when her brother had returned and told her what Anoki had done. Internally she vowed his death for taking her friend and the slayer boy, whether he caused their harm or not. She had not wanted to leave but in the end she ordered Jaken to care for the children and the wolf boy that Miroku and Sango had returned with, also leaving some of her most trusted personal guards with them. Presently her mate and the female slayer were travelling behind them on the fire cat which was having a hard time to keep up with the speeding siblings. Behind them trekked some of the small army of youkai Sesshoumaru had been recruiting. She had left a little over half her forces back at the castle just in case her cousin was planning to attack when she was not there.

Inuyasha took a peek at his silent, stoic sister. Her face belied nothing. Her features were calm and placid, but her eyes...her eyes spoke of death and it caused Inuyasha to shiver at the intensity of rage he saw reflected in the golden pools. In all the time they had fought against each other, all the times he had seen her fight and kill others, he had never seen her eyes look so hateful. He was beginning to feel fear for his cousin.

As soon as the whole company had arrived at Anoki's estate, Sesshoumaru gave the order to attack; Inuyasha, Sango, Miroku and herself at the front lines. Anoki's forces were in confusion at the sudden attack and scurried to defend the castle from the smaller group. The more experienced generals were barking out orders trying to get their forces under control and sent word for their missing master.

Sesshoumaru cut down any that got in her way using the Toukijin and her poison whip, her face set as she continued to march through the enemy to the castle doors. Inuyasha was using the Tetsusaiga, demolishing any demons that got too close trying his best to keep up with his angry sister. Miroku and Sango began to get left behind, bogged down by the many soldiers in hand to hand combat. Miroku threw out ofudas and sutras, keeping the demons at bay with his staff wishing that he still had the wind tunnel while Sango threw out her boomerang. Kirara kept the evil ones away from her mistress with her claws and fangs.

Inuyasha backed tracked to help his human friends seeing as his sister was having absolutely no problems carving a path though those in front of her. He noticed that some even ran away without fighting, their faces contorted in terror just by looking at the demon lord.

"Where's Sesshoumaru?" Miroku called out to Inuyasha as the hanyou threw out the power of his sword at the demons that had been coming at the monk.

"She's probably almost inside the castle, she's fine. Worry about yourself stupid," he answered back cutting though a centipede demon that had almost taken off Miroku's head.

The battle raged on as Sesshoumaru threw the doors open, ripping them off the walls and stalked into the castle. She killed everyone she saw and soon was the only one standing in a room full of blood and hacked off demon parts. She sniffed the air trying to catch a scent of her cousin when she instead found the scent of Kagome mingled with the smell of blood. The demoness could tell that the blood was not from her miko friend, the scent was of wolf. She followed after the odour going down a long hallway. She found the young girl standing outside a bedroom door.

"Sesshoumaru," Kagome cried out relieved to see her demon friend. She hugged the demoness hard. "What's going on? We heard yelling and then everyone seemed to run out," she inquired.

"We brought our forces and came to rescue you and the boy. Where is he?" Sesshoumaru asked. She still had not picked up the young boys scent.

"I don't know. I found Kouga but we couldn't find Kohaku." Kagome began to cry. "Naraku's inhabiting Anoki's body and he has all the jewel shards. We have to find him and stop him."

_Naraku,_ Sesshoumaru thought totally surprised. She set her jaw and her mind. She would have to destroy her cousin to release him from Naraku's grip. The demoness pushed Kagome behind her as the door to the room opened. She relaxed slightly when she saw the wolf prince come out a look of surprise on his face. He was wearing a kimono that was too big for him making the demoness curious as to what was going on until she caught the scent of her cousin all over the wolf.

Kouga knew she had picked up the scent of the being that had humiliated and abased him and his face reddened in shame as he cast his eyes to the ground.

Sesshoumaru growled deep in her chest. "Have courage, we will destroy him again and as many times as necessary to ensure his voyage to hell," she stated firmly and then turned expecting the other two to follow her as she searched the castle for either her cousin or Kohaku. She finally found and traced their scent into a large room with doors leading out into a garden. Inuyasha and the others ran in just as the demon lord, the wolf and the miko were about to continue on.

"There you are," Inuyasha said, relief evident in his voice at seeing Kagome with his sister. He scowled at the ookami not wanting the wolf to know he was relieved to see him as well. "You seem alright," he stated instead, the appearance of the wolf and his mixed scent not really registering fully with the hanyou.

"Yeah, I'm just dandy," Kouga returned quietly. "Look, let's just find Naraku can we," he said.

"What did you say?" Inuyasha asked grabbing the ookami's arm so he couldn't walk away.

Kagome pulled Inuyasha's hand off of Kouga, surprising the hanyou. "Naraku is inside Anoki's body and he has all the jewel shards. We can't find Kohaku either so just don't bother Kouga. We've got other things to worry about," the young girl ground out a bit angrily. She did not want Inuyasha to pick on her wolf friend, especially since she knew he had been through a lot recently.

Kouga had made her promise not to tell anyone about what had happened to him. She knew he did not want to be seen as weak, especially by Inuyasha. Kagome was sure the wolf respected the hanyou and wanted that same respect from the half demon. She also knew that they could probably both be good friends if the two of them would get off the rival kick they were on.

While Inuyasha, Kouga and Kagome were talking, Miroku and Sango were telling Sesshoumaru what had happened out on the battle field. The demoness was satisfied when her mate reported that the castle had been taken by their forces and Anoki's men had fled, been killed or been captured. Kouga then told the rest what he knew of Naraku as the group hurriedly left the castle in pursuit of the possessed dog demon and Sango's brother.


	25. Sesshoumaru VS Naraku

Chapter 25: Sesshoumaru VS Naraku

Kohaku ran as if his life depended on it, and it did. The dog demon that had been possessed by Naraku was hot on his tail and he was far from happy.

Naraku wished that he had his former body back. It would be so much easier if he had tentacles to reach out and grab the boy. He was fast in this demon body but the young slayer had trained hard and knew his former master's moves so was able to, so far, stay out of his clutches.

Kohaku stopped suddenly and twisted back the way he came, ducking under the long claws that swept towards him before spinning and throwing out his sickle. He gained no satisfaction in hearing the yelp of pain from the grey haired demon as his weapon connected with Anoki's forearm, drawing blood. He took advantage of his temporary advantage and ran again, pulling his sickle in as he went. He quickly pulled out his katana, skidding to a halt as he blocked the yellow whip as it flashed out towards him.

Naraku became angrier and more frustrated as the young boy managed to keep just out of his grasp and he was growling loudly as he kept missing with his claws. He did manage to snag the boys shoulder and thought he had him until the shoulder guard let go from his slayers uniform. "Stay still you damn monkey," Naraku/Anoki hollered, his anger getting the better of him as the boy again managed to dodge his attack and flip back out of his reach.

Kohaku had no intention of staying still and continued to duck and weave, blocking claws, sword and whip using all his training and concentration. He realized, as he took stock of the demon fighting him, that Naraku was not in as much control as he imagined. The true owner of that body was in there as well and it was affecting the former spider hanyou in the way he moved and reacted. The angry outburst of a few moments ago was a good example. Naraku would never have wasted his breath in such a way so it had to be Anoki's frustration that was showing though. Kohaku tried to think of a way to use this information to his advantage as he just barely missed getting grabbed.

The young slayer twisted and threw out his sickle again. This time Naraku grabbed the chain and pulled hard, yanking the boy off his feet towards the waiting claws of the inu. Suddenly there was a blur of white and Naraku was knocked to the ground with a very angry Sesshoumaru bringing out her whip. Kohaku was up in an instant reeling in his weapon as his sister jumped off Kirara to land beside him.

"Kohaku, are you alright," the female slayer asked.

Kohaku was breathing hard at the exertion of trying to keep out of the clutches of the possessed dog demon. "Yes," he panted, opening his hand and showing her the jewel that had been stolen from Kagome. "I got it, I couldn't let him keep it," he wheezed. Sango hugged her brother and pulled him away from the two fighting demons. Both had their whips out and were trying to slice into the other.

Inuyasha stood back with the Tetsusaiga drawn watching as his sister and cousin engaged each other. He was unable to strike out with the wind scar because he would have hit Sesshoumaru as well. Miroku tried to come to his wife's aid but she growled out at him.

"Stay out of it, this is my fight."

The two demons again let their whips fly out only to have them both entangled with each other. Naraku tried to pull on the one he had but Sesshoumaru was expecting something like that. She allowed her whip to come off her fingers and quickly drew Toukijin as her adversary stumbled back, off balance.

Naraku had barely enough time to put the sword he carried up in front of him to block her attack. "I wasn't wrong when I said you looked like a girl," he scoffed at her as their blades slid against each other.

Sesshoumaru pushed him away from her and ran in for another attack. "Looks like we both have secrets, Anoki. Or should I call you Naraku."

The teal eyed demon laughed. "We are both here, if you kill me, you'll kill your cousin as well." Naraku said as he sliced into Sesshoumaru's shoulder with his blade.

The demoness jumped back, showing no pain as the blood dripped down her shoulder to coat her white haori. She stood glaring at her cousin. "So be it," she replied.

"The Western Lands should be mine by rights, Sesshoumaru." This time it was Anoki that came to the fore and was speaking. "Your father was a cheat and a liar to dress up his daughter as a male. If he had been honourable he would have married you off to me. I should be lord."

"Hey," Inuyasha exclaimed from the sidelines. "I'm the son of Inu no Tashio, if anything the lands would have came to me."

Sesshoumaru gave her brother a sharp look while Anoki just laughed. "A hanyou? To run the Western Lands? There is no way the demons of the territory would have stood for it. Even you knew that or you wouldn't have disguised yourself when your slut of a sister was with her human, whelping out her own accursed mutts. You, my cousin, should have been drowned at birth."

Inuyasha growled low in his chest. It always came back to that. He would never have any worth in the eyes of demons because of his mixed heritage and now his little nephews and niece would have to face the same prejudice he had always lived with. Before he could charge his cousin, Sesshoumaru moved faster than even the eye could see and slapped her cousin hard across the face. The blow had been so forceful that he fell back onto the ground staring into the cold eyes of the demoness in utter disbelief.

"I will tear your tongue from your insolent mouth," she threatened as she reached down and grabbed her offensive cousin by his neck and lifted him bodily from the ground. "You will not disrespect my family in such a way. My father never knew I was not male. This was my mother's doing," she snarled out as she squeezed harder, cutting off any breath the inu demon could take.

The others looked at Sesshoumaru in shock, she had never told anyone this and all had assumed that her father must have known and maybe even been a part of the deception. Even Miroku, who the demoness had confided in more than anyone else, had not known. _How hard must it have been to keep such a secret from your own father,_ Miroku thought._ No wonder there was bad blood between them._

Naraku pushed Anoki out of the controlling position of the body they shared and called upon the shards, gaining their strength as he grabbed Sesshoumaru's hand and physically pulled it away. He smirked in satisfaction at the surprised look that crossed her face.

"The shards are in his neck," Kagome called out. She stood with her bow pulled back, an arrow aimed right at the inu demon as he held Sesshoumaru by her wrist. Naraku squeezed hard and grinned evilly as the small bones crunched and cracked under the pressure. Kagome could sense the aura of the shards changing, becoming blacker and more evil. "That's not Anoki anymore, Naraku is in control now," she warned the others. She continued to hold her arrow trained on to the demon but was afraid to let it fly in case she hit Sesshoumaru by mistake.

"I may not have my own demon body but this one is certainly strong enough to defeat you, Sesshoumaru," Naraku sneered as he snapped the bones in the demoness' wrist. The female inu didn't even flinch. "Impressive," the evil spirit that was inside her cousin stated, "But then you always were the stoic one, weren't you? I can't wait to bring you to your knees," he leered, letting his eyes roam over her lewdly.

Miroku had had enough. He charged between the two, hurling out sutras and lashing out with his staff at the demon that held his wife. Anoki/Naraku yowled out in pain as the sutra's found their mark, burning his skin and making him release Sesshoumaru. He leapt back out of the way of the sharp edge of Miroku's staff only to have to twist sideways as a glowing arrow came right at him. It missed but he had felt the breeze it left in its wake as it passed by him.

Inuyasha took the opportunity to let loose his wind scar now that Naraku had moved away from his sister who was still not responding outwardly to the pain in her wrist, although she was holding her arm close to her body.

Naraku held up his sword in front of himself and as the wind scar hit, the blade absorbed the energy of Inuyasha's attack. The force of the blast still managed to push the evil demon back quite a few feet.

Inuyasha growled in frustration and surprise. _That blast should have taken out that guy_, he thought.

Naraku was scrambling trying not to show the fear that was growing within the body he was inhabiting. His host was urging him to make a hasty retreat and when Naraku went to make like he was going to attack, Anoki pushed the spirit down and turned and ran. He listened in his mind at the outraged howl of anger as he took to the air in a ball of light, very similar to Sesshoumaru's.

"We'll be fighting another day, cousins," he called down. "Don't think this is over with. I will gain vengeance on you for the wrongs you have committed." He was soon out of range of all their attacks and finally the ball disappeared.

Kagome ran to Sesshoumaru and was trying to get the infuriated demoness to allow her to bandage her wrist.

"It will heal on its own. I do not require your aid," she fumed. She really wasn't angry with Kagome but having Naraku back and in control of her cousin's body was more than frustrating for her. That and the fact that he had gotten away with Kouga's two shards and had broken her wrist so she was unable to fight him at the moment was causing her to be in a very foul mood.

Miroku came and sat by his wife, gently cajoling her into allowing Kagome to perform her first aid and settling his mate's nerves. "We should get back to the castle," he said to Sesshoumaru. "I think we all need a rest and a chance to figure things out."

Sesshoumaru nodded and then began to walk off after Kagome had finished. She was worried for her pups and Rin and wanted to get back as quickly as possible. With Naraku in control of her cousin, she was uncertain as to what he would do now that he had been so corrupted.

"Why didn't the wind scar work?" Sango asked as they continued past the battle field by Anoki's castle. Sesshoumaru's men had just finished securing the area and bowed respectfully as their group passed.

"It seemed like it just sucked up the wind scar," Kagome interjected.

"Yes, Anoki's weapon, although it does not have a special attack, can absorb the demonic power from other blades. In effect cancelling out his opponents attack," Sesshoumaru replied. She remembered Anoki telling her that when they had been but children. His father had given him that sword and he had been quite proud of it.

"That will make it difficult for Inuyasha to use the Tetsusaiga against him," Miroku stated.

"And he still has my two shards," Kouga said dejectedly as he rode on the back of Kirara. His legs had still been causing him pain and all the other activities from Naraku had made his body tired. Inuyasha and Miroku had not told him about his pack, deciding to wait until they got back to the castle and he could see the only other survivor of the massacre at his caves.

The group soon fell into silence as they all pondered how they were going to defeat Naraku…again.


	26. Kidnapped

Chapter 26: Kidnapped

Anoki stopped in a glade far from the battle field and stepped out of his ball of light. Naraku immediately took over the body and snarled at his host. _Coward, we could have beaten them_.

**_How am I going to get revenge on my cousin if you get me killed? _**Anoki questioned back angrily.**_ You're lucky I took control, with all of them coming at us like that, there was no way we would have survived. I don't know what kind of body you had when you were alive but this body can get injured you damn spirit._**

_Coward,_ Naraku repeated with a little less anger because he had to agree, this body was no where near as strong as his former one. Even with the shards in his neck, it could not even compare to the body he had worked so hard to attain when he was alive. He needed the entire jewel to gain back all he had lost and he intended to get it.

_**We must work on a plan to separate them if we are to defeat them**,_ Anoki reasoned.

_If we were to grab one of them, they would more than likely trade the jewel for that person's life, _Naraku stated.

**_Yeah…but who? _**Anoki questioned.

_Perhaps one of those pups. Sesshoumaru would give her own life to protect them._

**_That's the problem, there's no way we'd be able to get close enough to snatch one of them and I don't relish taking on an overly protective, angry demon mother, do you? Besides, I don't think walking into Sesshoumaru's castle would be very easy. No…it has to be someone else, someone we can easily get to without alerting the others to our presence._**

_The miko is out. The hanyou is far too protective of her. We would have a hard time to get her alone. I don't think Sesshoumaru would care enough about the slayer woman to allow a trade._

**_How about the monk,_** Anoki offered. He would be most happy to have that human in his hands. With him out of the way perhaps he could have Sesshoumaru after all.

_I don't think Sesshoumaru would allow them to trade the jewel for even him. I've known her a long time, longer than you. She would not even trade it for her brother. She does not bargain easily, the only ones she would maybe have made a deal with would have been the brats…_ A thought struck Naraku as he sat pondering their dilemma. He only knew of one person that no one would worry about being alone, one person that all the others would trade anything for, the taiyoukai herself.

Anoki/Naraku grinned, the two beings sharing the same thought. Now all they had to do was implement a plan and use the love the others had for the demoness against them.

Sesshoumaru was scouting around her castle after seeing to her children. She was glad to be back, to be able to hold her pups and Rin. She was still worried as to what her cousin was up to, especially with Naraku sharing his body and urging him to enact his revenge and lay claim to the shikon jewel. They had been unable to track down the dog demon and had heard nothing of him since the time of the battle when he had fled.

Kagome and the other humans had tried to think of a solution to sever Anoki from Naraku and perhaps save him but the demoness knew that Naraku would not release his hold on life so easily and that if it came right down to it, she would destroy her cousin in order to assure that Naraku would not get away. Surprisingly, Inuyasha had taken her side on this and not the miko's.

The two wolves were also on the side of destroying her cousin and she could understand why if what she suspected had happened to Kouga was true. The wolf prince had not said anything of what had happened to him other than telling them that Naraku had taken his shards. His scent had told more of the story and upon arriving at her castle the ookami had gone directly to the bath and had spent a very long time there.

Kagome had been very caring and protective towards the wolf which led Sesshoumaru into believing that the miko also knew what had happened, although Inuyasha seemed quite oblivious and had been upset that the human girl was spending so much time with the wolf. This had caused him to be sat more than once until he had gone off and sulked in the garden in the branches of one of the larger trees.

Sesshoumaru had finally tired of the drama and had decided that making sure everything was alright in her immediate vicinity was a much better way to spend her time. She was upset with her mate as well. He had argued that they should try to save her cousin if it was at all possible The demoness was not used to having anyone, especially one she thought should have stood by her on this, telling her she was in the wrong. They had what others would have called a lovers tiff before Sesshoumaru had turned and left, unwilling to argue any longer on the matter.

The demoness sighed as she ghosted through the forest along the eastern border of her estate, trying to settle her nerves with the peace and quite that surrounded her. The others did not understand that killing her cousin was actually a very hard thing for Sesshoumaru. Deep down she still cared about her cousin and she valued highly what they had shared. She secretly wished that there could be a way to split the spider from her cousin but she was not going to let her affections come between her duty to her family and pack where Naraku was concerned.

She stopped suddenly, instantly alert. She felt a familiar presence and began to growl low in her chest. She pulled out the Toukijin just as her cousin walked into view. Before she could attack, Anoki threw out a grey metal ball. It hit the ground and burst, a thick smog invaded her lungs and stung her eyes. She tried using her sword to sweep the fog away without success and soon began to feel weak, her head began to swim and she began to see double through her watering eyes.

**_That's incredible. I didn't think that any poison could be used against my cousin,_** Anoki said to his spirit resident once the fog had dissipated. He was looking down onto the unconscious demoness that lay on the ground at his feet.

_That's because it's not a poison. It's a simple sleeping potion and quite effective against all who breath it irregardless of their power,_ Naraku returned as he removed the mask that had covered his mouth and nose.

Anoki/Naraku reached down and picked up the unconscious Sesshoumaru with a smirk on their shared body's face. They had been carefully and surreptitiously watching the castle by using Kanna's mirror and scouting out themselves, waiting for an opportunity to use the potion that Naraku had procured for them. The evil spirit had known that eventually Sesshoumaru would seek solitude from the others and he had not been mistaken. The possessed dog demon gripped his prize a bit tighter to himself as he formed a black cloud under his feet and flew off over the trees.

Miroku walked though the castle halls looking for his wife. His irritation at her had now changed to worry. The babies were hungry and crying to be fed and he knew Sesshoumaru would not miss their meal time no matter how angry she may be at him. He had called for the wet nurse before leaving to search the halls for her.

He was actually feeling a bit guilty over their fight and wanted badly to make amends even though he still felt that they should think of a way to save her cousin. After talking to Inuyasha earlier he had decided that the most important thing would be to find Naraku and regain the two shards that he had. Everything else would have to take care of itself. "Have you seen Sesshoumaru?" he asked Kagome when he saw her in the dining area.

"No. Is she still mad at you?" the miko girl asked with a knowing smile.

Miroku looked around the room as the servants began to prepare the table for the evening meal. "This is not like her she should be back by now. Even if she is mad at me, she would not miss feeding the babies."

Kagome began to look worried as well, just now realizing the late time. "Inuyasha was going to the dojo to practice maybe she is with him there. Why don't we go check," she said, taking Miroku's arm and leading him down the hallway to the practice room.

Inuyasha and Kouga were sparring with each other when the pair of friends walked in. Ginta, Sango, Kohaku, Shippou and Rin were seated on the floor watching the two demons as they parried back and forth with each other. There was no Sesshoumaru.

"Kagome, Miroku," Shippou called out when he noticed them standing by the door. The small kit waved them over. "Inuyasha is about to lose again," he informed them happily.

"Shut up!" Inuyasha returned, looking at the kitsune with an angry scowl.

Kouga took advantage of the hanyou being distracted and flipped Inuyasha over his shoulder and onto the floor. "Ha, that's four for me now, or is it five?" he laughed. Fighting with the half-demon had immensely improved his demeanour and he was feeling much better in spite of what had happened to him and the sad news he had learned from Ginta and the others, especially since he was able to knock his rival on his ass.

Inuyasha was the one to suggest this form of 'therapy' as he hated to see the wolf so dejected. Of course he would say you were lying if you even suggested such a thing. The hanyou jumped back up onto his feet, growling and blushing.

Kouga and Inuyasha had tentatively started to form the beginnings of a friendship as Kagome always thought they would. The ookami had been surprised and then humbled when he learned that the hanyou had helped Ginta bury their comrades as he lay healing in the castle. They still had their moments though, especially over a certain miko but all in all got along and respected each other.

"Inuyasha," Kagome stated. The worry that was evident in her tone of voice captured everyones attention, especially now that they noticed the look on Miroku's face. Of course, Inuyasha was the last to figure out that something was wrong.

"What?" he replied testily.

"Have you seen Sesshoumaru?" Miroku questioned

"No, isn't she back yet?" he questioned.

"No and I'm getting worried," the monk returned.

"I'm sure she's not gone far. She told me she was just going to look around in the forest that encircles the castle," Sango stated trying to sooth her friend.

Inuyasha frowned slightly. It was getting late and his sister always returned at meal times so she could feed the pups. "Humph. We better go look for her," he groused instead, not allowing his worry to show to the others. He was beginning to get a bad feeling.


	27. Bonds Broken

Chapter 27: Bonds Broken

Sesshoumaru slowly opened her eyes and blinked a few times. She was lying on a futon in a room she was totally unfamiliar with. She tried to move only to find herself feeling so tired that it wasn't worth the small exertion to even sit up. She closed her eyes for a moment wondering why she didn't seem to be bothered to find herself in a strange place.

"Sesshoumaru," a deep voice spoke out from beside her.

The demoness' eyes snapped open to look up into the face of her possessed cousin. _Where did he come from so suddenly,_ she thought, confused as to why she hadn't noticed him until he was so close. Again she found herself not feeling that upset about it.

Anoki smiled down at his cousin. "Glad to see you're finally awake." He gently stoked his fingers over the demon lord's cheek.

Sesshoumaru moved her head away from his touch frowning as she did so. "Do not touch me," she ordered. She again tried to sit up only to have the room spin dizzily around her. "What have you done to me?" she asked as she fell back onto the futon.

Anoki smiled a little wider. "It's just the residual effects of the sleeping potion." He reached down and fingered the necklace that he had placed around her neck earlier causing Sesshoumaru's gaze to take in the glowing red stone that was around her neck. She also noticed that her armour and sword had been removed. "This is a charmed stone," her cousin informed her. "You feel pretty docile, don't you?" he asked, bringing his teal eyes up from the stone to look into the glazed, golden eyes of his captive.

Sesshoumaru had to admit, she did feel very calm, too calm. She knew she should be fighting this, she should be ripping her cousin's throat out but this lethargy that was wrapped around her would not allow her body to do what her mind told her she should and she really didn't care. _Curious,_ she thought.

Anoki leaned down over his prey bringing his lips to hers in a surprisingly gentle kiss. Sesshoumaru pressed her lips firmly together not returning his kiss in any manner. The inu male licked his tongue across her mouth and tried to push past the tightly clamped lips. He gripped her chin in his fingers and frowned when she would not allow him access. _She's stronger than I gave her credit for. She should not be able to defy me with that stone around her neck._

Sesshoumaru stared hard at her cousin as he pulled back and looked down at her. She had no intentions of willingly doing what he wanted even though an insistent voice in her mind was whispering for her to give in.

"This spirit inside me…Naraku, he wants me to hurt you," Anoki told the stubborn taiyoukai with a frown. "Don't make me hurt you, Sesshoumaru."

"Do as you see fit," the demoness stated. "I will not be coerced into accepting you no matter how many spells you use, or how many threats."

Anoki glared down at his cousin and then stood and paced about the room. Sesshoumaru could hear him mumbling to himself and she assumed he was talking to Naraku. He stopped with his back to her. "Why? Why would you choose that human over me?"

"I love him," Sesshoumaru replied simply and truthfully. The stone around her neck was relieving her of her inhibitions so she had no problem telling him the truth. There was a long pause before the demoness asked, "Why do you pursue this, Anoki? I am female. I thought your taste was for males."

"No matter what you are, it's always been you that I've wanted…just you," Anoki replied sadly.

"And what of Naraku?" Sesshoumaru questioned. "What does he want?" The taiyoukai felt chills go down her spine when she heard the evil chuckle coming from her cousin's mouth.

"What have I always wanted, Sesshoumaru? Power, power to destroy you and that half-breed cur you call a brother." Naraku laughed again looking down at the prone inu female. He crouched down beside her and picked up a few strands of her long hair, letting them slip through his fingers. "I will have my revenge, and my jewel." Naraku reached out and struck the demoness across the face, a large grin on his face. He grabbed her chin and let his claws dig deep into the soft flesh of her cheek drawing blood as he pulled her face to his. He kissed her forcefully, biting her lips with his fangs causing more blood to flow.

Sesshoumaru could smell his scent spike in arousal and she tried to struggle to break free of him and the force of the charm that was working against her body, telling it to submit to this male.

Naraku jumped back off Sesshoumaru with a yelp, holding both of his hands to his head. **_You get the jewel, I get her! That was our deal, _**Anoki yelled at the spirit within him.**_ Touch her again and I'll make this head of ours explode!_**

Naraku glowered but released his hold on the body and slunk back into the furthest reaches of their combined mind. He would allow his host to have this little victory until he could find a new body for Kanna to put him in. He then decided this inu would die a very painful death.

Sesshoumaru was trying to take this opportunity, now that her cousin and Naraku seemed to be distracted with each other to get off the futon and attack but her limbs felt heavy, her mind unfocused. She was able to sit up and she tried to pull the charmed necklace off of her but Anoki pushed her gently back onto the covers without much trouble holding her hand away from the golden chain by her wrist. The demoness began to feel worry that she was unable to fight back and began to growl in frustration.

"Shhh," the grey haired demon whispered as he put his finger over her lips. "It's alright now, he's gone." Again he kissed her, softly this time, licking the blood from her mouth and again she did not respond until she felt his hand untying the obi at her waist. She sucked in a breath and his tongue was immediately probing inside her mouth. She reflexively bit down and he jerked his head away but showed no anger, in fact he was smiling at her. He opened her kimono baring her from belly button to throat to him. He pressed the glowing and swirling ruby against her skin.

Sesshoumaru could feel the heat from the stone against her bare skin sucking away all her resistance and she soon stopped what little amount of struggling she had been doing, feeling as if her whole body had turned to lead.

Anoki ghosted his fingers across the bare skin of her chest and breasts, pleased when her body responded to his gentle caress as her nipples hardened.

"Anoki, do not do this," Sesshoumaru stated softly as she let a breath hiss past her teeth.

"It's okay, Sesshoumaru," he replied gently. "See? It feels nice. I'll make you forget that monk." Anoki licked his tongue across the hardened nipples, sucking and nibbling gently.

"No…stop," Sesshoumaru moaned trying her best to resist even as her body betrayed her, her back arching in pleasure at the sensations her cousin was causing to flow through her. The spell of the jewel was urging her body to respond, encouraging her to let go and not care.

Anoki said nothing as he lifted her into a sitting position and removed her clothing. Putting her back down onto the bed he removed his own, his lustful gaze taking in the beauty lying so helplessly before him. He lay down on top of her and nibbled on her neck, kneading her breast with one hand as he moved her head to the side with the other so he could gain access to a certain spot over the pumping vein at her throat.

Sesshoumaru swallowed her pride. "Please," she begged through gritted teeth. "I do not want this."

Anoki snaked his hand down lower, pushing his fingers into her causing her to gasp and give a small squirm of resistance. "Stubborn to the end, cousin," he sighed. "You're telling me no but you're body is telling me something different. You're so hot and wet, Sesshoumaru. Do not lie to yourself. You want this as badly as I." He stated against her neck as he continued to thrust his fingers in and out of her slowly. When he felt she was ready for him he removed his fingers and licked her juices off, keeping his eyes on her as he did so.

Sesshoumaru tried to keep her knees locked firmly together but her cousin pushed them apart and again crawled on top of her.

"I will make you mine," he told her as he forced his way inside. "Just lie there and enjoy it." He began to thrust in and out and Sesshoumaru closed her eyes trying not to respond in anyway to what was happening to her. He again moved her head to the side as he increased his rhythm, his breaths coming in ragged gasps against her neck. He gave a few more deep and forceful thrusts and then came hotly inside her, biting down on her neck as he did so. He swallowed her warm blood and then licked the wound closed as he gave a final shudder.

"There now, everything is as it should be," he sighed happily. "All who see this mark will know you are mine. You should have known a human could not lay a claim to you that I could not break."

He rose from the bed and dressed himself leaving Sesshoumaru naked. He pulled the covers over her body and kissed her cheek. "I'll be back later, mate. Naraku has to get ready for some guests," he stated cryptically.

After he left the room a lone tear squeezed out of the corner of Sesshoumaru's eye and ran down her cheek. _Miroku…I'm sorry._


	28. Conflict Within

Chapter 28: Conflict Within

Miroku was livid and the others had to stop him from strangling the messenger that had come to tell them Naraku's terms. "Where is that bastard," the monk ground out, angrier than he had ever been in his life. "What have you done with my wife!"

"I have done nothing Hoshi-sama," the small rat demon stated as he bowed before the enraged monk. "My master has requested you come to this village." 

Inuyasha grabbed the piece of paper that the rat held out. It contained instructions on how to get to the village and what house they were to proceed to. 

"He says to make sure you bring the jewel and the boy," the rat continued looking at Kohaku. "My master will release your mate at that time; it is nothing more than a simple trade."

"A simple trade!" Miroku yelled, clenching his fist around his staff.

"Tell him no deal," Inuyasha stated, interrupting Miroku before he could yell anymore. He was met with stunned silence, even from the rat who had not anticipated this turn of events.

"Wh…what are you saying?" Miroku asked, almost in a state of shock.

"Inuyasha, you don't mean that!" Kagome cried out. "We have to help Sesshoumaru."

"My sister can take care of herself," the half demon intoned. "We will not make a deal with Naraku."

Sango started to protest as well but was interrupted by the white haired boy, "…unless you want Kohaku to die. Naraku will kill him and you know he won't stick to his end of the bargain. It's useless to deal with him so I won't."

"You're not the only one who has a say in this, Inuyasha," Miroku stated angrily. "Don't you even care about your own sister?"

A hurt look quickly crossed Inuyasha's features but he soon contained it. He reached his hand out and snapped the necklace with the almost complete jewel on it off of Kagome's neck and then leapt into the forest with the shocked yells of his friends ringing in his ears. He knew he was taking a big risk, Kagome could stop him at any moment with a certain word and he was surprised when he actually made it out of hearing distance. 

I'm sorry guys but we can't let Naraku get the jewel, under any circumstances. He ran until he found an old hidden shrine. It had been here for many years and had become all but forgotten. The shrine still had some magic left in it so Inuyasha hid the jewel under the floor, certain that the aura around the shrine would keep its whereabouts safe. He then left to head back. Hopefully his friends would understand and they could come up with a plan to rescue his sister, but with or without them, he was going to get her back.

"Seems like your family has no need of you," Naraku intoned cruelly. "They refused my offer." Naraku was no fool and he anticipated that the group would make some kind of rescue attempt. He had already had his little rat servants set up many traps. I will have my jewel, Inuyasha, even if I have to capture and torture everyone in your group.

"As they should," Sesshoumaru returned emotionlessly. She was glad that they had not come running to her rescue as she had been worried about that. She knew that Naraku and her cousin would have never stuck to their bargain and their whole group would have been in danger if Naraku had managed to get the jewel. In this regard, she needed her family to be heartless towards her. Seems like my brother has managed to learn something from me after all, she thought. 

The inu taiyoukai was now kneeling before a low table while a small female rat demon served Anoki/Naraku tea. There was no cup for Sesshoumaru, not that she was expecting one. She had been allowed no nourishment at all since being made a guest of her cousin and his spirit resident. This, in fact, had been the first time she had been dressed and allowed off the futon since being brought here three days ago other than to be escorted to take care of personal business. Her one arm and hand had been shackled behind her back to prevent her from trying to remove the necklace, which she had almost succeeded in doing last night.

Anoki had finished with her once again and had fallen asleep beside her. She had used every ounce of mental will to grasp that necklace and begin to lift it over her head. Unfortunately she must not have been quiet enough or gentle enough in her movements and the demon beside her had woken. He had been upset to say the least and since that time her arm had been cuffed to a chain around her waist. Her lip, which had been quite swollen last night from one of the many punches she had received, was now mostly healed. A small cut was all that remained of the large gash when her fang had ripped through her lip from the force of the blows. 

Sesshoumaru was non-plussed about the beating and the lack of food. She had endured worse in her lifetime and could go long periods without eating and still remain strong. She hated that this damn red jewel was suppressing her more violent instincts and so now she sat, biding her time until she could manage to get the charmed necklace off. Then her cousin and Naraku would soon be joining the land of the dead. She thanked the gods above that the small gold chain around her neck did not seem to have the same curse on it that her brother's did. At least she'd be able to get this one off whereas her brother's could only be taken off by Kagome.

"Sesshoumaru…Sesshoumaru!" 

The demoness lifted her head and looked at the face of her cousin who had been calling to her for some time. The small rat demon was gone also.

"You didn't hear a word I said," he complained. Sesshoumaru realized that it was Anoki speaking to her now and not Naraku. "Why don't you be a good mate and serve my tea," he demanded pushing the now empty cup towards her.

Sesshoumaru quirked an eyebrow at him and then glanced down at her chained arm. "And how do you suppose I do that?" she asked.

Anoki grinned at her. "I suppose I could take it off," he said leaning forward and pulling a key out of his kimono. He stopped for a moment, frowning. "You're not going to try anything funny, right?"

"What could I do?" Sesshoumaru asked showing no emotion. She knew she would not be able to move fast enough to just pull the necklace off. The charm was strong and it took a massive amount of will to move her limbs if she had any thoughts of hurting her cousin or taking the charmed jewel off. Her mind as well stayed far too calm and placid. Most of the time she felt as if she could care less what happened and there was that little voice that was getting harder and harder to ignore; the one that was continually pushing at her to submit, to do as she was told, to be docile, meek and obedient. She realized that this was the power of the spell combined with the power of the mating mark that her cousin had given her. She was finding it more difficult to fight against it and knew she had to get this thing off soon because if it stayed on much longer she soon wouldn't want to take it off.

"That's true, there's really nothing you can do," Anoki grinned and proceeded to unlock Sesshoumaru's arm from her cuff. "Now, how about that tea?" he asked cockily.

Anoki/Naraku sat back and enjoyed watching Sesshoumaru set about setting up the cup and filling it for him like a proper wife. He too had noticed that Sesshoumaru seemed much more willing to behave today. He reached forward and stroked his hand up and down her cheek, smiling when he noticed that it took her a few minutes before it dawned on her to move away from his touch. He watched as she gritted her teeth hard as she tried to work against the charm and avoid his fingers.

She soon will be mine completely, Anoki thought with glee, taking the cup his mate offered him.

You mean ours, don't you? Naraku interjected.

Mine, Anoki ground out possessively to his parasitic guest. And you shouldn't have hit her so hard. I don't want her damaged, he complained.

Naraku chortled inside his hosts mind. He had begun an experiment, lately he had been trying to suppress some of the things he had been doing, and it seemed to be working. 

He had started with little things, moving items when he was in control of the body and then seeing if he could make the dog demon forget where they were. He had been most gratified when his co-habitant had spent at least twenty minutes looking for his sandals that Naraku had hidden in the closet. Sesshoumaru had been the one to tell him where the geta were, giving him a most curious look. 

The former spider demon was sure that he would be able to speak to Kanna about finding him another host without Anoki's knowledge, someone stronger and stupider; someone that would be easier to manipulate. 

He had made a miscalculation in picking this one as he had not anticipated his will to be so strong or his affections for the female inu taiyoukai to be so great. Naraku was of a mind to kill his former enemy, not sleep with her but whenever he had tried to do anything that might cause her death his host would push him down and take over. 

He was also finding it harder to gain control since his host had marked Sesshoumaru, the dog demon not wanting him to come forward and share in his mate. It had only been the intense shared anger of him and Anoki combined that had allowed him to strike the female inu last night. As soon as the dog demon male realized that his mate was going to be beaten to a pulp he had stopped Naraku cold.

For now, he would allow his host to get overly confident in his strength and then, when he had a new body, he would rip the shards from Anoki's neck gleefully. Perhaps he would even destroy Sesshoumaru before his eyes before allowing the grey haired demon his own death, just to prove to him who was the master in this situation.

"Kagome!" Inuyasha yelled as the young miko was pulled into the air by her ankle. She had stepped into a loop of rope that had been hidden on the ground and the hanyou leapt into the air after her landing in the tree. Below Sango, Kouga and Miroku had been engaged by ten demons that had come piling out of the bushes to encircle the group.

Inuyasha cut the rope around her leg with the Tetsusaiga, catching her as she began to fall. "Are you alright?" he asked worriedly.

"My ankle hurts, I think it's sprained," she told him as he came down out of the tree and placed her on the ground safely out of range of the demons. He took a quick look to the others in his group and saw that Kouga was making quick work of most of the demons. The wolf may have lost his shards but he was naturally quick, strong and a good fighter. His other two friends had no trouble dispatching the few that were left.

The half demon had been surprised that Kouga had offered to come along. The ookami only stated that he had personal business with his possessed cousin and would explain it no further. Kagome had actually sat him when he had bugged the wolf about it. 

Inuyasha had had his feelings hurt over that incident and it had not gone unnoticed to him how much time Kagome and Kouga were spending with each other. For the first time since meeting the wolf, he had seriously begun to worry that Kagome really liked him and wasn't just trying to be nice. Even though the hanyou had found that he actually liked that mangy wolf his own insecurities over Kagome kept him on edge with Kouga when she was around.

"That's the third trap we've encountered," Sango stated.

"Good thing they're not very good," Kouga huffed, cracking the bones in his knuckles. "Is this the best Naraku can throw at us? If that's the case we'll defeat him easily."

"Don't get too over confident," Miroku voiced. "Never underestimate Naraku."

"Yeah," Inuyasha intoned, helping Kagome hobble over to the group. "That stupid trap injured Kagome; she's got a sprained ankle."

"Oh, Kagome," Sango cried out. "Does it hurt much?"

"I'm fine," the teen girl blushed waving her hands in the air. "It's not so bad." She tried to take a step and almost fell over; her ankle began to throb painfully.

"Here," Kouga said as he took his wrappings off his legs. "Sit down. I'll wrap it up for you."

The teen girl went to sit on the ground and Inuyasha growled at the wolf. Kagome gave the white haired boy a sharp look but before she could sit him, Kouga threw the bandages over to the hanyou. "Here, you do it then," he stated and then turned and walked over to where Miroku was.

"That wasn't very nice, Inuyasha," Kagome scolded as the hanyou set to wrapping her quickly swelling ankle.

"Why are you taking his side all the time?" Inuyasha asked a bit hurt.

"He…he had a hard time with Naraku," Kagome answered vaguely. Try to be nice to him, okay?"

"He looks fine to me. What did Naraku do to him anyways?"

"I can't tell you that, he might tell you if you'd make an effort to be more of a friend to him. He really needs one even if it doesn't look like he does."

Inuyasha sat back, finished with the bandaging. He thought about what Kagome said as he found a branch for her to use as a cane to help her stand. He knew Kouga had been upset about his pack but he realized that there may be another reason for the ookami's weird, quiet moods. One he didn't know about. He decided that he would try to get along better with the wolf, if only for Kagome's sake.

"We should continue on," Miroku told the group. He was worried as to what had happened to Sesshoumaru and these traps kept slowing them down. He couldn't figure Naraku's game but was sure that the former spider demon must have something in mind.

"We are not playing games here," Naraku ground out angrily. 

"Sorry, my lord. We put out our best traps and they manage to get free of them," the small rat demon replied as he kneeled on the ground with his head down.

"Here, take this girl with you," the spirit demon commanded, motioning to Kanna. "She can do a better job of capturing them than you have."

The rat bowed low, his forehead touching the ground, "as you wish, my lord." The small demon stood and the young white haired child followed quietly behind him. She stopped when Naraku called to her. "I'm depending on you, Kanna, to do something about them. Do not disappoint me." 

"No, my lord," she responded in her quiet, whispery voice.

"And what of the other matter we discussed?"

"I have found nothing suitable. I will continue to look."

Naraku frowned. He had been hoping that the girl would have found him someone else by now. He was getting tired of playing games with Anoki and just wanted to get his jewel and get on with things. He nodded to Kanna and she slipped out the door to follow the rat that had been waiting just outside for her. The former spider demon sighed and then released his grip on the body. For now he would rest.

Anoki blinked his eyes. This was the fourth time he found himself somewhere other than where he thought he should be. Naraku…Naraku what are you up to? He received no reply from his guest and he frowned in confusion. He couldn't figure out what the devil his spirit roommate was doing but he began to get nervous. He soon forgot about it when he smelled the scent of his mate. He grinned and headed down the hallway to his room, putting aside thoughts of Naraku for more pleasant ones.

Sesshoumaru slipped quietly out of the bed. Anoki had again chained her arm down as he slept but the female demon had a plan. She walked over to the large, heavy chest that was sitting on the floor by the back wall. The chest had ornate carvings on it of stag and boar but what interested Sesshoumaru were the horns that were sticking out of the top. She was planning on hooking the necklace over the pieces of carved wood and then pulling back, hopefully breaking the chain that held the charm in place on her neck. She figured that as long as she didn't try to touch the chain or the stone directly that her plan should work.

She had to get the thing off tonight. When Anoki had come into the room earlier she had almost enjoyed his touches, in fact she was beginning to crave them and had not fought back as hard as she usually did. She had almost forgotten Miroku and her pups and that she was not going to allow. 

"What are you doing?" Anoki asked a bit groggily watching as his mate walked over towards the back wall.

"Just stretching my legs," she replied casually. She turned back towards the futon keeping her aggravation and frustration from showing.

Anoki quirked an eyebrow at her curiously, looking to where she had been walking. He could see nothing of any importance at that end of the room so shrugged his shoulders and sat up as Sesshoumaru sat down beside him. "Is being with me so horrible to you?" he asked as he watched her emotionless face.

"You know I am mated to another yet you still persist in keeping me here against my will," the demoness answered. "Yours is a selfish love, you want what you want with no regard to others."

"And I suppose your human is different? He would let you go if you asked," the inu demon asked sarcastically.

"Yes, he would," she answered simply. She looked at her cousin who had cast his eyes down to the futon. "Let me go, Anoki," she whispered.

The grey haired demon frowned and then quickly stood. He began to head to the door and then stopped with his back to Sesshoumaru. "I can't," he stated and then left, sliding the door shut behind him.

You were going to do it, you almost let her go, Naraku sneered in Anoki's mind. You're pathetic. She would have killed you in an instant.

Shut up, you bastard! She has feelings for me, I know she does. That human has her confused. She'll soon realize who the better mate is. I'll never let her go.

You may have to destroy her. She is never going to accept you, Naraku quipped. He was getting more than bored with this obsession his host had for the taiyoukai. Do not let your emotions ruin the opportunity I am giving you.

God damn it, I said shut up! Without me you're nothing. Just a damn ghost stuck in a mirror. You need me and you know it. I'm the one in control and don't you forget it. Anoki pushed down hard, ramming the evil spirit into the back of his mind.

Naraku had had enough, with a roar of anger he fought back, grabbing the soul of the inu and grappling with it. The two spirits entwined in an internal battle for supremacy. To an observer the demon looked like he was just standing there silently, albeit a bit spaced out. A few facial twitches were the only indication that anything was going on behind the blank eyes at all.

The eyes of the demon cleared and an evil grin slunk across the face. Who is in control? Naraku smirked at his host, who was now cringing and whimpering in the far recesses of his mind. Time to sleep, the former spider ordered and Anoki's mind disconnected with his guest's and now master. The evil demon turned to go back into the room and finally destroy his hated enemy, certain now that the inu could no longer interfere when a fat rat ran up to him. 

"My lord, we have captured them." 


	29. Back to the Castle

Chapter 29: Back to the Castle

Sesshoumaru slipped the end of the chain over the carved stag horns easily. Now that all she had to do was pull back, the stone around her neck began to glow. Her feelings of resistance began to ebb and she began to wonder what she was doing standing over this chest. 

She looked down watching the red stone swirl hypnotically and then forced her mind back to what she wanted to do. She closed her eyes, refusing to look at the charmed jewel as sweat began to break out on her forehead. She began to pull back slowly and felt the chain tighten across the back of her neck. Again she began to have that blasé feeling and she felt herself lean forward. 

No, this thing will not beat me, the demoness thought. With a roar Sesshoumaru pulled back as hard as she could and finally the chain broke, the charmed stone flying though the air into a corner of the room. The demoness stood panting from the mental exertion of fighting the spell before she angrily jerked her arm and broke the cuff around her wrist. Composing her features into an icy mask she headed for the door.

"Well, well, isn't this delicious," Naraku mocked as he looked in the cages his captives were scowling out of.

"What have you done with Sesshoumaru?" Miroku yelled being careful not to touch the bars. Inuyasha was still lying unconscious on the floor from the shock he had received when he had grabbed the bars on his prison.

"She's perfectly fine. I can see why you are interested in her. She's quite a pleasure to be with," Naraku returned with a wink causing Miroku to fist his hands at his side. "And look here," he continued with a smirk looking in on the wolf who had taken a step back as the demon stopped in front of him. "Just can't get enough of me, can you? I'm sure I can accommodate you later on, but I have pressing matters at the moment." Kouga glared back defiantly. The former spider demon walked down the line of cells until he stood in front of Kagome's. "Where is the jewel?" he demanded, his joking manner now gone.

"I don't have it," Kagome returned bravely trying to see if Inuyasha was awake yet.

"Obviously, now where did you put it?" Naraku had had his servants search everyone without results when they found it wasn't on the miko girl.

"I don't know where it is," Kagome returned truthfully. Inuyasha would tell none of them where he had hidden the jewel. He had asked Kagome to trust him and she did. 

"You expect me to believe that?" Naraku asked, his voice dangerously low.

"Believe it or not, she doesn't know," Inuyasha stated groggily as he sat up. He looked at his healing hands which had been burnt when he had tried to break the bars.

"You sound like you might know," Naraku intoned.

"And you're crazy if you think I'll tell you, you bastard," the hanyou returned angrily.

"Maybe, maybe not." The spirit inside Anoki nodded his bodies head and the rat demon that had been off to the side came forward. Naraku said a few words of incantation and then his servant proceeded to open the now uncharmed door to Kagome's cage. Naraku quickly grabbed the retreating girl and held her in front of him, one arm around her chest holding her shoulders, the other around her waist. 

The others in the cages began to protest, yelling at him to let the miko girl free. Inuyasha and Kouga almost forgot themselves in their fury and desire to reach their enemy, coming very close to touching their cages. 

"Are you sure you don't want to tell me?" Naraku asked almost conversationally as he sensuously stroked the hand that had been around Kagome's waist up her side as he looked in the half demon's eyes.

Kagome's eyes went large and she tried to struggle harder to get free of the disgusting feel of the inu demon's hand on her body. Naraku just held her tighter and leaned his head forward to nip her on the ear.

"You fucking bastard!" Inuyasha screamed. "Let her go!"

Kouga was yelling as well. "Don't you dare touch her!"

Naraku chuckled as he moved his hand up to fiddle with the top button of the girl's blouse. "Where is the jewel? I won't be patient for much longer." When Inuyasha didn't answer quick enough he undid the button and reached his hand inside her uniforms shirt, grinning when she squealed in fright.

Suddenly everyone heard a ruckus outside in the hallway and the door to the cell room was ripped from its moorings as Sesshoumaru stormed in.

Naraku's eyes went wide in shock. "How did you…" he began but soon took a step back, letting go of Kagome as the angry demoness advanced upon him. His small servants tried to come to their master's defence but were dealt with quite efficiently by the taiyoukai's slashing claws. Even before he could react Sesshoumaru was upon him grasping him by the neck, a low frightful growl emanating from her chest.

Sesshoumaru threw him against the back wall of the cell as Kagome ran out grabbing the keys from one of the dead rats and running to let the others out.

"Kagome!" Sango yelled before the girl could touch the doors, "don't touch them, the spell is still active, you'll be shocked." All the rest could do now was sit and watch as a cold eyed demon lord reached out and picked up her possessed cousin from the floor. She threw him again, forcefully, this time against the bars of the cage.

Naraku was desperately trying to get his host's body to respond quicker to put up a defence against the assault he was undergoing. He moved out of the way just in time as Sesshoumaru's glowing green hand slashed towards his throat, melting through the bars behind him instead. Naraku rolled sideways across the floor trying to get to the door. He didn't make it as Sesshoumaru grabbed his leg and pulled him back towards her. She let go of him long enough to rake her claws into his neck, exposing the two shards in his neck. She plucked them out and then threw them towards the miko girl who was just outside the cell. Blood flew over the demoness' face as she attacked again, putting her whole hand through her enemies chest.

Naraku released his grip on the body he was inhabiting, allowing his host to come forward to accept the brunt of the pain. "Sesshoumaru," Anoki gurgled out between his lips that were now bubbling blood. "I'm sorry, I never meant for this to happen. I love you," he whispered

"I know," Sesshoumaru replied softly, holding him to her closely, almost tenderly. She then ripped the heart from her cousin's chest allowing the now dead body to slump to the floor. She stood for a moment, quietly looking on her kin's form before turning and helping Kagome to release the others. The spell on the cages was now gone with the death of Naraku and her cousin.

Back at the castle Inuyasha returned the jewel to Kagome, two more shards now melded into it. Kagome had wanted to give the two shards back to Kouga but he had refused, saying he didn't need them any longer. He and Ginta had decided to stay with everyone at Sesshoumaru's castle. They would make these people, their friends, their new pack. Everyone was now sitting in the main room trying not to bring up the fact that only one piece of the jewel remained to be put with the orb.

Upon returning the demoness had wanted to see her children and had let down her walls, telling her husband all that had happened as she wept holding her babies and Rin. Miroku had hugged his family close, kissing the salty tears off his wife's cheek, reassuring her that he still loved her and that what had happened with her cousin was not her fault. Finally she had composed herself and given him a smile of gratitude for the unwavering love he held for her. 

Miroku had been upset upon seeing the mating mark that Anoki had forced upon her and felt even angrier knowing that Sesshoumaru would suffer separation pain because of it. Eventually the mark would fade allowing her relief from the agony of not having her demon mate with her but it would be a painful couple of months. Miroku vowed to stand by her until the ordeal was over, hoping that in some small way he would be able to help soothe her.

Both of them were now entering the room the others were silently sitting in. Sesshoumaru, without a word to anyone, walked over to Kohaku and yanked the shard from his back. The boy slayer fell face first onto the floor with the cries of the others ringing out in the room in shocked surprise.

"Sesshoumaru, why did you do that?" Sango yelled, tears coursing down her face as she held the body of her brother. Even Inuyasha was shocked and didn't know what to say to his sister at her seemingly inhumane action.

"Trust her," Miroku told everyone calmly.

"Lay him down and step away," Sesshoumaru ordered the taijiya. She waited and it wasn't long until she saw the death imps appear. With a slice of her claws the imps burst apart and the boy on the ground slowly opened his eyes.

"Kohaku!" Sango shouted in joy, grabbing her brother and hugging the now confused boy tightly to her. "Thank you, Sesshoumaru," the human woman wept. The demoness just nodded and then placed the last shard into Kagome's hand. 

"Find a fitting place for that cursed jewel," she ordered the miko. Kagome nodded. She had decided that the safest place for the jewel would be in her own time. There were no demons there so it would be safe from ever being used by the likes of Naraku again. Inuyasha had decided, after talking to his sister, that making a wish on it might not be the best thing to do. Sesshoumaru was sure that to use the jewel in any way would cause nothing but disaster.

The group now relaxed glad that, finally, they would get to live a quiet life together.

The small girl checked in her mirror one more time. She nodded to the voice that only she could hear at the moment and continued on her way, an almost imperceptible smile on her normally unemotional face.

THE END

I must say thank you to everyone who wrote and reviewed to me. I had over 300 reviews on this story and it just blows my mind. Arigato everyone ? 

I hope everyone enjoyed the story and even if you didn't I say thank you to those who provided me with constructive criticism. It only makes me want to work that much harder to do a better job next time. 

I'll be posting a short story soon called "Walking Father's Path." It's based off a manga novel that I read and I hope you'll all enjoy it. It's another Sess/Mir fic (my fave couple) but set in the modern era. I guess you could consider it an AU fic as well. This time Sesshoumaru is male (LOL) which means this is also yaoi just so everyone knows.

Hope to hear from you all again, I love you guys? chu 


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